Final Wish
by Cassidy J
Summary: [HOLD] Miaka is reunited with her seishi. There's only one catch: none of them remember their pasts, though for some reason her face has been in their minds... and hearts. [Tasuki x Miaka]
1. Reflected Reincarnations

Based on the Anime, Fushigi Yuugi  
Disclaimer: Fushigi Yuugi is not owned by me in any way, shape, or form. Talk to Yuu Watase if you want to buy the rights ;p   
  
_Author's Note:_ Minor revision to the ending of this chapter... basically I'm taking Taka out of the story altogether. I can't write him and I don't want to try. ;p So, there! It doesn't change the story at all, but -shrugs- just pointing it out to anyone who read it before the revision...   
  
**Chapter One: Reflected Reincarnations**   
  
    _It is said Suzaku's power lies in love._   
  
    Three mirrors are suspended in air. Several others are their companions, but they are shadowed. This trio is the center of attention. Each follows a different person, to make up three... three whose destinies were once intertwined. These three, whose new lives were stubbornly refusing to follow the paths Fate had created. It was time to see if these last, subtle efforts had paid off.   
  
    _A young man with flaming red hair saunters out of a bar. He moves with restless grace, wears a devil-may-care air, supported by a devilish grin. He laughs at a comment from a man hidden from view, and hidden deep in that carefree sound is a hint of sadness, loneliness. The feelings are reciprocated in his tawny eyes. For all his twenty three years, he has been searching for something. Ironically, this search for something--an elusive shadow in his mind--has been the only stability in his life. He still doesn't know what it is, but it might have to do with the picture, tucked safely into his wallet. _     _A woman stands on a balcony, staring up at the stars. Violet hair streams down her back, let loose from her customary braid. In her hand is a small picture, of a young woman with auburn hair and laughing green eyes. The letter which accompanied it is on her desk, half-forgotten. She puts a cigarette to her lips, a frown between her shimmering, amethyst-tinted eyes. The moonlight catches at her bracelets, one on either wrist; elegant silver bands trimmed in gold, supporting a single circular moonstone. _     _Posters are plastered all over the walls. Several newspaper articles and magazines are scattered over the surface of a beautiful desk, carved from oak. Clothes are carelessly abandoned all over the room. A man sleeps, recklessly sprawled on his stomach over a huge bed, still dressed, though barefoot. His face is the same face on every poster, every newspaper, every magazine cover; the long, honey-streaked brown hair, beautiful bone structure, alabaster skin. They all proclaim him a sensation, a star. His hand rests on an open textbook, with sentences highlighted yellow and blue. His shirt says simply, "CSU Monterey Bay". _  
  
    The watcher makes a satisfactory sound. The mirrors are once again shadowed, and another glows with a soft light.   
  
    _The last wish is finally granted.     The book is now safe to be destroyed.
_


	2. Finals, Dancing, Visions from the Past

**Chapter Two: Finals, Dancing, Visions from the Past...**   
  
    Miaka ran down the hall of the small, cramped apartment, swearing half-heartedly as she knocked a plastic pot, containing the dead remains of a plant, to the floor. In one hand was a thick binder, filled with paper--and messy. Very messy.     She burst into the living room-cum-dining room, waving the binder in the air frantically. "Yui-_chaaan_!" The panic in her face had the two women in the room heaving resigned sighs. They knew that tone.     She fell to her knees on the floor, completing the impromptu triangle. "Yui-chan, I can't understand _anything_... God, do you remember what countries Alexander the Large invaded? I thought it was Russia, but then I thought it was Greece... those countries just get me so confused..." she rambled, flipping through the binder blindly. Red-streaked, dark brown hair slipped from its confining ponytail, giving her a scattered, desperate look.     The blonde on her left heaved a resigned sigh, and reached over to still her friend's hands, scrabbling to hunt down some elusive paper. "Alexander the Great--"     "Yes, yes, that's what I said," she interrupted impatiently. "Anyway, do you have any idea what I did with the last test on Shakespeare? These classes are so hard... Shannon!" She brightened. "Maybe you have--"     "I don't even have any classes with you, Miaka." The second girl in the room rolled her eyes over her russet-haired friend. She really was the worst at keeping her life in order. "I don't have any notes you can borrow, and didn't you get a barely-passing grade on it anyway?"     "It's better than nothing," Yui pointed out calmly, and reached out to snag a crumpled piece of paper that was already tossed aside. "Isn't this it?"     "What? Oh, yes, that--that's not important now," she dismissed the test absently, once again going through her binder. "Valid and invalid arguments..." came the soft mutters.     Shannon sighed and exchanged a martyred look with Miaka's best friend. "Have you studied at all for the finals?" she asked Miaka tentatively, fearing she knew what the answer was.     "Not really. Well, I did, but it's harder to remember things in English than it is in Japanese."     Raking her hand through her short-cropped ebony tresses, the American groaned. "Oh, Lord, Mia, studying now isn't going to help you."     "Of course it will!" she retorted, snapping her binder closed. She held up a few sheets of paper triumphantly in her hand. "Study guides!"     Yui leaned forward and winced. "Those were for your mid-terms."     A look of sheer panic darkened jade eyes as she inspected the papers. "I'm going to fail," she whispered, shoulders slumping in defeat. "Mama's going to murder me."     Shannon winced slightly. "It won't be that bad," she encouraged. "I think that every semester, but when it comes down to it, everything's in my head. You aren't stupid, and you do pay attention in class!"     "And you've done all your homework," the blonde chipped in quickly. "I think we just need a break from all of this." She waved her arm around the room. "Take some time off and relax. It'll do you more good than stressing all night."     Miaka groaned and fell back against the floor, arms outstretched. "Maybe," she conceded dubiously. "I have to pass these classes, or Mama will want me to come back to Tokyo." A quick grimace flickered across her face. "And live with her and Keisuke."     All the girls went silent. After the deaths of Taka and Tetsuya three years prior, the two young Japanese women had decided to leave Japan and their painful memories while studying. Now they were back on their feet and once again happy, though Shannon could remember how shattered they had been when she first met them both. It had echoed in every line of their body, every glance from their shadowed eyes, every quietly spoken word. As though their hearts had perished, and they were living by rote--acting out a script with words, actions, and no passion or fire.     Returning to Tokyo... Miaka shuddered slightly at the thought. She didn't want to stay in a place so filled with bittersweet memories. Ironic, how two different worlds couldn't keep her and Taka apart, and an airplane could. Shattering, how the wonders of technology could be the downfall of something so beautiful. Shaking her head to clear her mind of those thoughts, she sat up abruptly. The movement caused the ring on her left ring finger to catch the light, the ruby shimmering in an attempt to catch her attention. She forced herself to glance away from it, and to her friend.     The pensive, melancholy expression faded from Yui's clear blue eyes as she recognized her best friend's sudden air of decision.     "Let's go dancing."   
  
    It was a sea of bodies. Miaka briefly envisioned herself as a minnow, and stifled a giggle. For once, she was grateful for her dainty five-foot-two stature, finding it easier to weave between bodies. Not that it was particularly easy to begin with.     The club's temperature had risen to an unbearable degree. She noticed with amusement how many people were crowded around the bar, seeking refuge in cold drinks. Elbowing her way to the counter, she flashed the bartender an easy smile. "A glass of ice water, please?"     The man--he had to be six and a half feet--looked amused. "'Ey, luv, you sure that's what you want?"     "Positive." Miaka perched on a vacant stool, craning her head to search for her friends in the tidal wave of humanity. It was impossible to spot them. She found her fingers tapping against the scarred wood of the bar, as the nervous energy of the club infected her. At first glance, everyone seemed to be lazy, relaxed. She saw the tension beneath, forcefully relaxed after alcohol was in the bloodstream.     It was always so interesting to watch people. Participating wasn't so bad either, but she knew that if she went out there now, she'd slip and fall. Being a klutz in front of all those people wasn't quite appealing.     Glass clinked against the counter, and she smiled at the giant. "Thanks."     "'Course, luv." He winked and moved on to the next customer, and she watched him, fascinated. Coarse, ribald jokes flowed freely between him and the other end of the bar. Mostly men, with a few women draped on their arms--the ones with the flashy dresses and sultry eyes.     Miaka was happy to feel invisible in her jeans and halter top, complete with strappy heeled sandals. She didn't look out of place, but she didn't catch the eyes. Just perfect, in her opinion. There wouldn't be any lame pickup lines to deal with here.     It had only taken a year for her to recognize the corny and the cliché, mostly thanks to Shannon. The woman was a miracle. Even if her Japanese was horrendous.     "I think my last dance partner was trying to break my toes!" Yui's voice came from behind. Her best friend turned, giving her auburn hair a flirty toss.     "Probably because he was too busy staring at your... face." Her words were teasing, her brows arched wickedly.     "Yuuki Miaka," came the reproving words. "Don't make me hook you up with some desperately lonely guy wanting to dance. Especially when you're in heels."     "All right!" Forest-green eyes danced in amusement as she raised her hands in surrender. "I forfeit. Where's Shannon?"     "Probably in the bathroom. Is this water? Thank the gods, I'm dying of thirst. It's so hot out there." Pale hair was plastered to her forehead, solid evidence. "Why did I let you talk us into coming in here, anyway?"     "You're the one that wanted me to relax," Miaka retorted, laughing. She turned as a man touched her shoulder and spoke in her ear. Gifting him with a brilliant smile, she shook her head. "I can't dance," she explained, pointing at her shoes. "They give me blisters."     He moved on good-naturedly, and Yui laughed. "You mean you'd give him bruises. You're a klutz."     "Perhaps." She looked around, distracted, and spotted an empty table. "I'm starving..."     "Of course you are." Her best friend rolled her cerulean eyes and grabbed onto her arm as they threaded their way to Miaka's goal. "Maybe we should wait for Shannon?"     "No, she's right there, waiting."     "Figures. She knows to go where the food is if she needs to find you."     Gifting her long-time friend with a haughty look, the redhead collapsed into a chair. _Now to wait for the waitress,_ she thought gleefully, her stomach rumbling.     Shannon rolled her eyes at the gluttonous look on the petite girl's face. "I thought we ate dinner an hour ago?"     Yui checked her watch. "Three hours ago, actually... that's amazing. I wouldn't have guessed we were here for so long!"     "It's the dancing." Miaka shifted in her seat impatiently. _Where's the service?_     "Oh, my God," Shannon suddenly hissed, _sotto voce_. She gripped the blonde's arm tightly. "Look straight ahead," she whispered. "God, if he isn't just the most gorgeous thing... and he's coming our way! With a purpose..." Violet eyes raked in the deliberate stride, and realized where his eyes were trained. Yui caught on at the same moment.     "Miaka, he's looking straight at you!"     She glanced up in surprise, having been rummaging through her purse for a bar of chocolate. "Who?"     "That gorgeous hunk of a man... oh, sweet Lord, he's got to be at least six-two." Shannon's eyes were huge with appreciation.     "There's _two_ of them," Yui pointed out. Her eyes went wide. "Oh, _Suzaku_," she suddenly breathed in shock.     A frisson of... excitement? foreboding?... ran down Miaka's spine, as she turned. They must be _something_, for her to have mentioned the beast-God's name, and so reverently.     _Oh... Suzaku. _Her eyes widened as she took in the two men striding toward her. _They can't be.. _.     That shock of red hair, pulled back into a smooth ponytail. Sunglasses shaded his eyes, but there was something about his face. The way he carried himself. Defiant, rebellious, uncaring of the opinions of those around him. He walked with that arrogant swagger he had as a bandit leader, and later as one of the Suzaku Seven. _Tasuki...? _     Her eyes were drawn then to the taller man, whose glossy, honey-streaked brown hair was left casually down. His face was clearly visible--so beautiful as to be almost feminine, yet with a hint of the ruthless warrior he had once been. His eyes, she knew, would be the color of whiskey, warm, inviting, depthless. _Hotohori...? _  
  
----   
  
_CJ's Blurb:_ Yes, Taka is dead. It makes my life easier when writing this to have him already out of the picture, without going into long, detailed explanations. I have nothing against him (I love Tamahome/Taka, after all), but I keep pointing out... Taka/Miaka have enough screen time. Give us the others! =D   
  
Thanks, **KittyLynne**, for your review; I was actually wondering if I should continue this or not, but your review just gave me a new incentive to do it! ^_^ And thank you for the welcome. I love FY, and I love writing... I may as well mix them together, ne? =)   
  
I have no idea what the pairings will be in this chapter. I know it will be a Miaka/Tasuki or Miaka/Hotohori, I'm just not sure which! So... just keep watching and waiting. If you have a preference, let me know. I'm all ears. (I love Hotohori and Tasuki both! *swoon*) 


	3. Seen, and Scene

**Chapter Three: Seen, and Scene**   
  
    He was flirting when he saw her.     Just one careless glance over the girl's shoulder, and he was distracted. A glimpse of russet hair, falling in careless waves over a slim, straight back. Then she turned. He saw her face, and knew. Knew her full lips would be curved in a secretly amused half-smile, knew those gorgeous green eyes would mirror everything she felt. Her soul and heart had always been easy to read.   
  
    The brunette in front of him looked up under heavily painted lashes, pouting a little when his attention turned away from her. The pout turned into an offended glare as he continued to stare past her, seeming to forget she even existed. She wanted to follow his gaze, find the object of his preoccupation, but his gaze was hidden to her.   
  
    She was sitting on a bar stool, her legs crossed at the ankles, flirty sandals tapping against the metal legs. Her body thrummed with energy. Not necessarily excitement, but the simple gift of life. Every moment was taken, cherished, filled. Her gaze floated lazily over the people dancing on the floor. Those eyes were starting to move in his direction when she was distracted.   
  
    The brunette moved away. He didn't notice.   
  
    He watched as she gave him her profile, laughed at a blonde. The sound carried over the crowd and brushed against his ears. Familiar. Foreign. She was relaxed, amused, comfortable. She teased, with the assurance of long familiarity, her hands moving gracefully to underline her words. He could almost hear her voice, with its amused lilt, pure and sweet. A sound that could hold him in thrall.     He didn't know her, but knew she'd been in his mind all his life. Even during the parts he couldn't remember. A year's worth of memories in his mind, and nothing more—except her face. Emotions flushed through him, leaving him trembling with their force. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket, pulled them out again, without realizing he was making the half-nervous actions.     The impatient, anxious need to find her over this past year was almost forgotten as he greedily took her in. He saw her slide gracefully off the stool, almost lost her in the tangle of bodies towering over her as she slipped through the crowd. Unconsciously he tensed, his hands curling into fists, ready to run. Ready to beat a path to her, if necessary.     The head of auburn hair reappeared as she sank into a chair at an empty table, followed by the blonde and a raven-haired girl who had appeared from the crowd. Disappointment burned briefly in the pit of his stomach. Her back was to him. But still, the slight of that glorious hair was enough to soothe him for a moment. Then the need to catch her, before she disappeared, before he woke, slammed through him full force.     He moved now, suddenly and without conscious thought. His eyes burned into her behind shaded lenses. Possession arced through him, flashed into his mind. His head felt almost dizzy. Relief and a gnawing sense of anxiety nibbled away in his abdomen. She was here. She was his.     She turned. Curious, thoughtful. Her eyes met his, widened. Shock, disbelief. The feelings from her were so strong that he could feel them in himself. His left forearm tingled. Heat brushed gently against his skin. Another familiar/foreign feeling. This one was shoved into the back of his mind. _She_ was the only one of any importance. Her. His life.     Then his eyes snapped to another figure, moving in the same direction. A soft growl rumbled in his throat. She was _his_.   
  
~*~*~*~*   
  
    Miaka jerked, standing with such speed that her chair nearly clattered to the ground. Yui grabbed it out of sheer reflex, preventing the fall, much the same as she'd done hundreds of times before.     Her heart was pounding. Her mouth dried. All the moisture seemed to run straight into her eyes, swimming now with tears. Her hand half-lifted, then dropped to her side. Those liquid-drenched, wide jade pools of emotion darted from one man to the next.     Hotohori's stride slowed somewhat as he saw her stunned face. She saw an odd expression fly across his face; one she didn't recognize. The almost imperceptible decrease in speed had the flame-haired man reaching her first, and she stared at him, dazed, her thoughts reeling.     His movements were almost predatory. Determination filled his face. Anyone in front of him moved out of his way almost unconsciously, as they had for Hotohori. There was something in the way they moved; a sense of destination. A specific goal.     As Tasuki came closer, she felt herself move. Suddenly, she was in his arms, soaking his shirt in her tears as she sobbed his name.   
  
    He jerked to a stop, embracing her tenderly before he even realized that she was actually there. She wasn't a hallucination. Or a dream. The warmth of her body pressed against his, the tears wet against his shirt, his skin. His eyes closed with a sudden feeling of pain, and a rising feeling of triumph. Pain at having lost her, triumph at having found her. Rational thought flew from his mind as he crushed her to him, holding her possessively, and with a selfish urge to keep her with him—to never let her go.   
  
    Miaka's fingers curled into the soft cotton of his shirt, and she shuddered. Her body felt too small, too insignificant, to house her emotions. Tasuki. Hotohori. Her seishi. Friends. Family. Questions niggled in the back of her mind—where was Nuriko? Chichiri? Chiriko? Mitsukake? Why were they here? Was everything okay?—but they were ignored, for the time being. She felt safe, secure, and loved. She felt euphoric.     She pulled her head from the warmth of his chest, feeling his arms tighten at the movement. She couldn't move away, but managed to turn her head to stare at the other man standing before her. He was looking at her, his eyes and face shuttered. The same look he'd worn as an emperor, when his advisors were pushing too hard.     Then she looked behind him, and saw curious glances from the patrons of the club. Her eyes widened, and she jerked in her seishi's hold. He didn't let go.     Yui's voice broke into her thoughts. "Miaka… oh, God, they're staring at us." She reached over to grab her friend's arm, and stopped at a growl from the man holding her. A growl? She shivered slightly, and felt his eyes on her face. "Let's get out of here," she said quickly, and glanced at Shannon. Her eyes were guarded, speculative, slightly worried as they rested on Miaka. Seeming to shake herself from her reverie, the American nodded in agreement with the blonde's words.     "Come on, Miaka… and friends," she added dubiously, looking at the two men. They'd never been mentioned by the other two before, though by the look on her friend's faces…   
  
    He scowled at their words, but followed as they motioned to the door, sweeping the girl up into his arms. He ignored her soft gasp of surprise. The other man was being pulled along by the blonde, studiously avoiding looking at the two of them, though he held himself tensely.     He, too, was familiar.   
  
    The cool air bit into her cheeks, reviving her sluggish mind. Miaka struggled slightly, and Tasuki set her down carefully, almost reverently. As though he thought she'd break—or maybe disappear.     She stepped out of the circle of his arms, and his hands dropped to his sides. The movement was almost… dejected. She ignored it for the moment, her eyes flashing to the darker-haired man.     Yui relaxed as she noticed her friend's sudden wariness. Although she had nothing against the Suzaku Seishi—they had worked together against Tenkou, after all—some of her memories as the Seiryuu no Miko had yet to fade. At least around these two. _And they shouldn't even be here,_ she reminded herself with a frown.     She'd recognized the bandit first, having met him twice. The other… apprehension snaked over her spine, as she glanced at them both. Neither seemed to know her. _They don't remember._     Miaka seemed to have come to the same conclusion, as mortification stained her cheeks red. She stared up at the man who so resembled Tasuki. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered, her eyes wide. She'd obviously remembered Tamahome's reincarnation as Taka, and his lack of memories. "You look like… someone I knew."     His shoulder jerked slightly, and he leaned against the wall of the club nonchalantly. "No problem," he replied quietly. He didn't seem to be the half-mad man who had swept her into his arms like he'd meant to brand her.     Yui cleared her throat, but neither man looked at her. They stared at Miaka like she was the answer to some deep, complex question they'd been researching for years.     "May I ask who you two are, and why you look like you're going to eat my best friend?" Shannon asked tartly, jumping in before her friend had a chance to ask in a more tactful manner. Her bluntness startled the others, and she shrugged slightly, coloring under the disapproving gaze of the second man. "I saw the way you both were looking at her in there," she muttered defensively.     "Andy Wong." A sudden smile flashed, and he bowed to the three women, though his eyes had returned to Miaka. Yui noticed his evasion of the second part of the question.     The other man shrugged as three pairs of female eyes landed on him curiously. "Tasuki," he bit out. Yui's eyes widened briefly. Miaka's slowly fluttered closed, almost in pain, before opening again.     "Why are you here?" Shannon asked, somewhat impatiently.     Andy ran his fingers through his hair, disheveling the honey-streaked strands. "To be honest…" His eyes lingered on the auburn-haired girl, a faint frown in their whiskey-warm depths. "I've seen her face before. She closely resembles another woman I… know."     Shannon suddenly gasped, grabbing onto the blonde girl's arm. Nails dug painfully into skin. "Andy Wong—Good Lord, you're that singer. From China."     Miaka struggled to regain her composure. Tucking her hands into her back pockets, she looked at Hotohori. _His name is Andy,_ she reminded herself sternly, forcing herself to keep from turning to meet the watchful gaze of Tasuki. Forcing herself to stop thinking about the coincidence of his name. "Oh," she said lamely, in response to Shannon's revelation. She hadn't paid much attention to American music, preferring her Japanese CDs.     Andy smiled, running his hand through his hair again. He gave a slight shrug. "I was," he told Shannon easily, "but I gave that up last year so I could resume my studies."     Her heart was breaking. They couldn't be her seishi. It was impossible. Telling herself to breathe, the former priestess of Suzaku managed a tight smile. "So, who do I look like?" she asked lightly, laughing. _If this is Hotohori… that has to be Tasuki. And if that's Tasuki, then the others must be here too. But if they're here, something must have happened. What the HELL is going on? And why don't they remember me?!_     "I don't know." The words apparently came without thinking, and the singer-turned-student frowned again. Miaka's heart jerked, and she ignored Yui's panicked glance. Somehow she knew what he was going to say. "It's a portrait. An old one," he added. "The woman in it seems to be younger than you, but you could still be her twin."     Until then, Tasuki had been silent, content to stare at Miaka. Now his breath expelled harshly. "Shit—that's why I remember ya," he growled. "You and those other brainless idiots staring at that paintin'…"     Her heart jerkerd again, then pounded furiously in her chest. _Breathe, Mia, breathe._ "What's she wearing?" she asked quickly, breaking off Tasuki's tirade. She knew it was coming.     Andy gave the flame-haired man a cool look, before turning to her again. "It'd probably be better to show it to you. I doubt you've ever seen clothes quite like hers," he explained quickly, as Shannon's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "All of you could come." He jerked his head toward Tasuki. "He's seen it, too."     "Fine," Miaka broke in, before her other seishi's temper exploded. "Where is it?"     "At the apartment." He ignored the scowl on the redhead's face, and looked at Miaka thoughtfully. "You really do look like her. It's amazing."   
  
~*~*~*~*   
  
    Her knees trembled. She fought against a wave of emotions and memories.     Nuriko. Chichiri. Mitsukake. Chiriko.     After the shock she'd already had, this was completely unexpected.     The four were staring at her, shock scrawled all over their faces. They recognize you from the painting—nothing more! she told herself harshly. She wanted to scream at the injustice of it all. She wanted to feel Nuriko's arms around her again, promising a warm haven. She wanted Chichiri to speak calmly, to help her come to terms with the thoughts that crowded her mind. She wanted Mitsukake to chide her for wearing heels, because the gods only knew how much trouble she'd get into with those things. She wanted Chiriko to make some deep insight that belonged in an eighty-five-year-old professor, and laugh with childish abandon when it turned out to be correct.     She wanted to hold everyone tightly to her and cry until there were no tears left.     Her lip trembled, and she bit it down fiercely as she looked them over.     Nuriko's hair was still violet, pulled back into a braid ending at the curve of her hips. Lavender eyes had that odd downward tilt that gave her a wistful expression. The beauty mark still had its place beneath her eye. She was the same as she'd always been, expect that she really was female, here.     Chichiri's light blue hair fell casually over his shoulders, while his bangs still spiked up. His face was no mask, and his eye held no scar. Even in his shock, he had that serene aura shimmering over and around him. He was still a monk at heart, even in this life and this world. His eyes were still understanding and warm, or hard with determination.     Mitsukake's hair was tied into a ponytail. It looked ridiculously adorable on the kind-hearted healer. Stubble was a dark shadow over his jaw. There were dark circles under his eyes, and delicate spectacles on the end of his nose. He was still large—tall and broad, looking more like a wrestler than a doctor. Somehow, she knew he still used his hands to heal.     Chiriko was the biggest shock. He'd been the youngest of them all, hardly more than a child. Now he rivaled Mitsukake in height, though he was spare and lean. Sawdust-colored hair was cropped short, but his eyes were the same. Wide, beautiful, clear and green, filled with vast knowledge.     Andy was making informal introductions (with Yui and Shannon introducing themselves), and a tremor of joy filled her as she realized they all still used their seishi names. Odd, though, that Hotohori—Andy—wasn't. She shook herself and paid attention to what he was saying, though her eyes continued to roam from face to face in an almost desperate attempt to assure herself that they really _were_ here. Though she still didn't know _why_, or _how_.     "…at the club, and decided to bring her here to see the painting," he finished. Nuriko was the first to recover, nodding faintly.     "I'll go get it," she said, tearing her eyes from Miaka. "I'll just—ah—be right down."     "Take your time," her former priestess murmured. Once again she shoved her hands into her back pockets. Yui stepped forward, sliding an arm around her shoulders, offering silent comfort.     The room went quiet as Tasuki slid into a seat carelessly. The silence wasn't quite uncomfortable, though it was unnerving. Miaka glanced behind her, noticing Shannon's thoughtful frown.     _Too bad she's been dragged into this. I know she's going to want an explanation. I wonder how she'll react when I tell her I met all six of them in a book?_     "So, what is it about this portrait, anyway?" Shannon asked quietly.     The men all glanced toward Chichiri, as though looking at their leader. He cleared his throat, his brow furrowing slightly as he shot a glance at Miaka.     For a second, she thought he hadn't lost a single memory. As though it really was Chichiri, standing in front of her. _It can't be,_ she thought sadly. _He wouldn't look so different if he hadn't been reincarnated, and they lose their memories when that happens… that's what happened to Taka._ Her eyes darkened with the bittersweet memories.     "We all are victims of amnesia, to varying degrees." He leaned forward, steepling his fingers together. It was startling, how alike that gesture was to his two-handed manipulation of magic. "We met in a support group, under Mitsukake's guidance, to deal with no memories and no family. We all came in at different times—I was the last. There were others, but they regained their memories and moved on. Eventually, there were the five of us. Oddly, we all had a single thought from our past. We all could see the face of a woman with red-brown hair and green eyes." He looked calmly at Miaka, then glanced to Shannon, who was leaning forward, her eyes narrowed in concentration.     "There was one other person with that memory, though he'd only been at one meeting." He nodded toward Tasuki. "I found a painting one day and sent them all copies of it. Everyone came to the next meeting, and everyone but Tasuki recognized the person who was painted."     Yui looked at the flame-haired man, at the flush on his cheeks. "You didn't recognize Miaka?"     "I didn't recognize the chick in the picture," he said flatly, staring at the wall. Her brows arched slightly.     Nuriko came in then, a small frame in her hands. She handed it to Miaka, a tense frown edging between her eyes.     The girl stared at the picture, blood draining from her face and leaving it alarmingly pale. Her knuckles whitened around the frame, her hands shaking. Yui looked over her shoulder and gasped.     It was Miaka, dressed in the ceremonial robes to summon Suzaku.   
  


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_CJ's Blurb:_ So, this chapter sucks. My apologies. Filler/explanatory chapters are so hard for me. I've rewritten this thing three or four times now, aching finger and all (*kills her muse, which makes her write it even though she hates it*). The biggest problem was winding the other seishi in, and pointing out the reason that Hotohori and Tasuki were running her down in the club.   
  
Just to clarify, it was coincidence Hotohori and Tasuki were there. It wasn't some big evil master-mind plan. Muahahaha, wait, it was! MINE!! MY PLAN! I SHALL RULE THE WORLD... okay, stopping that now. (Had a bit of sugar earlier)   
  
**KittyLynne**: Wee, another review! *moves from cloud nine to cloud eighteen* *swoon* Hehe ^_^ This is definitely going to be a Miaka x Tasuki story, I think. Honestly, I don't think Hotohori could be aggressive enough to push her out of the past. Not the way I'm writing it, anyway. ^_^ I love Hori though, so I've got PLANS *wicked wicked grin*  
  
**Desiderata**: Yes'm, will do ;)  
  
**Fire Pendant**: *giggles* Like I'd leave out Chichiri... he's Tasuki's right arm! ^_^   
  
God, I hate this chapter. I'm just going to pretend it doesn't exist. Hopefully chapter four won't be so bad... and hopefully it'll be longer. .;; I had to cut this one off so I could really get into it next chappy. It'll make things just a tad clearer.. So yeah, it's another explanatory chapter, which means it just might suck. Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I hates 'em all :D   
  
Mucho love,  
-CJ  
  
PS: Muahaha... Keep an eye on Chichiri. 'sall I gonna say. Mmmhmm. *evil grin.. evil evil evil bad evil!* 


	4. Snarky Stories

**Chapter Four: Snarky Stories**   
  
    The room was dark with his sunglasses, but he refused to remove the lenses shading his eyes, keeping their secrets. His brooding gaze stayed on the russet-haired vision from his dreams. The one he'd embraced almost violently forty-five minutes earlier. _Impulsive idiot, he berated himself sharply. Luckily she thinks you were just holding her because she grabbed you first. She didn't notice you were acting like a lion kit on his first hunt. _     He tensed, his brows coming together in a menacing scowl when the sandy-haired youth tossed him a sideways look, as though to question his presence here. _Another thing I should be grateful for; she was so distracted by that pretty boy singer she didn't even ask why_ I _was running her down too._ It was the only good thing about her attention being turned to the other man. He felt jealousy thrum through his veins once again, and forced himself to ignore it. After all, _his_ arms weren't the ones she'd run to.     His eyes jumped back to Miaka, and he felt an oddly tender feeling bloom in his chest. _I found her, and I'm not letting her go._ Despite the jumble of emotions inside him—confusion, anger, embarrassment, joy, and possessive fury—that thought kept him at peace. He relaxed again, the faintest of smiles playing across his face. No, he wasn't letting her go.     The way she'd looked at him when she first saw him, the way she'd held on to him in the club, the way she'd reacted to his name... she knew him. He knew she did, though he didn't understand why she refused to acknowledge that. Though he should have been a little more concerned about it, his happiness at finding her was too great to let reality step in. Not yet.     She was his, and that was all that mattered.   
  
    "Oh, my." A slender brow winged up as Shannon glanced at the portrait. She let out a low whistle. "No wonder you were so stunned. She looks exactly like Miaka."     The redhead flinched slightly as her friend spoke, before pulling herself together. "Oh, yes. It's amazing..." her words trailed off to a whisper. Chichiri watched her sharply, his gaze intent. She managed a lopsided grin. "Wonder where the artist got the inspiration?" she asked lightly, avoiding everyone's eyes. _My seishi... they're here. But why... I don't understand. I can't think... I need time. Oh, God, this hurts to see them all again, without them knowing me. _     Andy chuckled, though his eyes were speculative. He'd noticed her shocked recognition, though he wouldn't press her. Yet. Instead, he smiled warmly and guided her to a seat, taking the portrait from her to place on the table. Her eyes followed it longingly.     Yui perched on the arm of her friend's chair, sliding an arm around her shoulders and squeezing, half in comfort and half in alarm. "It's crazy, seeing my best friend in that picture," she said thoughtfully. "Especially in something that isn't her normal style."     The violet-haired girl shook her head slightly. "It may not be her normal style, but it suits her," she pointed out, looking at Miaka with a semi-avaricious light. "I could have so much fun outfitting you... that bone structure!" She knelt in front of her former priestess, taking her chin in her hand and moving her head to the side. "You need to eat less," she reproved. "Take off a little weight and those cheekbones will be shown off to full advantage. You have a delicate face, though—maybe it's for the best. Hmm, those eyes..." her own head tilted slightly. "I'd kill to have your eyes. Mine, they have this downward tilt." Her eyes rolled expressively. "Yours are perfect."     Chiriko sighed, the sound interrupting the women. Even Yui and Shannon had been staring at Miaka's face. "Honestly, Riko, that isn't the thing here." She wanted to cry, hearing his voice; calm, thoughtful, deeper than it was in her memories. He'd grown so much.     Shannon interrupted him quickly, seeing an oddly devastated look in her friend's eyes. "Actually, I have a question," she interjected quickly. Miaka felt relief flush through her body. The American had unknowingly stopped Chiriko from asking a question she wasn't ready to answer. "None of you seem to be very... well, you don't seem to be struggling much. Did the amnesia not affect your careers?"     Mitsukake smiled slightly. "Although we are all victims of amnesia, not all of us were so unfortunate as to have nothing to hold on to," he explained calmly. "A few of us had friends who helped us get our feet back on dry land. After we all became part of the support group, we helped each other as well."     Nuriko laughed softly. "Actually, when it came that we were the only ones left in the group, and that our memories might not return—ever—the lot of us decided to get one big apartment for ourselves. I think it was Andy's idea, actually. You see, we're the only people that can understand each other." She spread her hands helplessly. "No one can understand how it feels to have our life's slate wiped clean, unless they've gone through it. It is... very stressful. It was easier to lean on each other than stand alone and be stoic." Her lavender eyes darted to Tasuki at her last comment, and he shrugged carelessly.     "For some people it's easier to be alone," he drawled calmly. "Doesn't mean it's the same for ever'one."     Miaka's brows arched slightly, though she wasn't surprised. Tasuki had always had such pride, and he'd never liked to show weakness. Ironically, he was also the least likely to hide his feelings.     "I know," came the unruffled reply. Running her hands through her purple hair, Nuriko grinned at the three newcomers. "I was the last one to come to the apartment," she confided. "I stayed in my dorm instead. Then when that letter from Chichiri came..." she shrugged. "It felt right to be with them. Now they're like my family. Though having four brothers is a bit of a chore, and Hotohori—Andy—is _always_ borrowing my notes from class."     Shannon laughed then, glancing at Miaka in amusement. The redhead flushed a little and shrugged. Yui smiled in amusement, hugging her best friend's shoulders. "We know that feeling," the blonde commiserated. "Mia always manages to lose hers." Then she frowned slightly. "Why do you call him Hotohori? I thought his name was Andy?"     "It's a nickname of sorts." The man who bore such a strong resemblance to Konan's empire shot Nuriko a half-hearted glare. "All of us adopted names from a... an old legend. It was a joke, but it stuck."     "It's an obscure one," the recipient of the glare explained in response to Shannon's puzzled frown. "Andy and I learned about it in a Chinese Mythology class. Hotohori, Nuriko, Chiriko, Chichiri, Mitsukake, Tasuki and Tamahome were the names of seven warriors blessed by Suzaku, the phoenix-god of southern China, and were supposed to guard his priestess."     "What about Tasuki?" Miaka asked quietly, glancing at the red-haired man, still sitting calmly in his armchair. "Did you do that, too?"     "Nah." He frowned, as though affronted by the question. She bit back a smile.     "Yeah, that's the funny thing. I bumped into him at a bar, and when I learned what his name was..." Nuriko shrugged. "Well, I asked him about the myth. He said he'd never heard of it, so of course..."     "...she had to explain it to him. She mucked it all up, too." Chiriko looked unrepentant at his blatant interruption, despite the woman's scowl. "I guess he told her about his amnesia then, 'cause she dragged him to the next meeting. He didn't come back, though."     "That shit's not my style, kid," Tasuki muttered.     Ignoring him, the young genius continued, "In any case, we hadn't taken up the names then. It wasn't until after Chichiri found that picture that we did. Andy said she looked like a priestess, so," he shrugged, flushing a little. "We thought it'd be kind of fun. Things like that make it easier to... deal with having no memories."     "The same concept as being able to laugh at yourself?" Yui asked kindly, as all the men shifted in their seats, obviously somewhat embarrassed now.     Relieved, he smiled and nodded. "Exactly."     _He's still a kid at heart._ Miaka managed a tight smile, fighting back the tears that wanted to spring to her eyes. Leaning into the warmth of Yui's one-armed embrace, she let her eyes wander over her old friends.     Shannon asked another question, directed to the quiet blue-haired monk. Once again everyone involved themselves in the answer, comfortable in their friendship. They were as close as they had been in the book. They were exactly the same in so many ways.     Mitsukake was still the one to sit back and observe. Quiet, steady, dependable. Smiles crossed his face at the exuberant conversation, and he occasionally interjected a statement or two, but he was still the reserved man she'd first met in their fight over a fish.     Chiriko was still quick to laugh, his green eyes bright and warm. He still had that innocent, childish air, as though the real world hadn't touched him. It had, though, in the end. Her smile wavered as she remembered his noble sacrifice. The wonderful boy-child had died a hero's death.     And Nuriko was still her impish self, with her love of beauty and that quirky humor. It was obvious to Miaka that she kept all the men together, in her own way. She was everyone's friend and confidant. Despite her laughing exterior, those eyes held such a deep understanding of life.     That same understanding was mirrored in the former monk's steady gaze. His friendship with Tasuki in the Universe of the Four Gods wasn't quite in evidence here, but he was still the one to shake the ex-bandit from his self-imposed silence, dragging him into the conversation.     It revolved now around a small white cat who had padded into the room, jumping into Tasuki's lap to promptly lay down to sleep. His disgruntled expression was obviously forced, and he pretended a scowl as the others teased him. Although he hadn't clicked with the rest, he was still comfortable in their company. She doubted he even realized it.     The only one he didn't seem to be completely at ease with was Andy. She wasn't particularly surprised. Even in the book, Tasuki had felt a little out of place beside the elegant emperor. Being simple, straightforward, admittedly coarse and lacking the polish of the royal court, he was the man's complete opposite. Despite that, their friendship had run true.     Andy was certainly Hotohori. His grace of movement still caught the eye, and he still held some of those narcissistic tendencies that had been oddly endearing. His fingers would constantly run through his hair in a gesture she knew was completely unconscious, and his self-assurance was so familiar. She'd only seen it drop when he'd bared his heart to her. During those times, his eyes had been so warm and gentle, filled with his feelings.     They still were that way.     Miaka blinked a little at the thought. She'd been so used to seeing Hotohori give her those looks that it hadn't fazed her in the least that, as Andy, he was still doing it. Her heart warmed, and she felt a familiar pang of guilt that she didn't feel the same way towards him. For her, Tamahome had been her life. And, later, Taka. It had nearly killed her to lose him again, and even now she knew her heart was still his. Even now, she knew she could not love the emperor.     Though, for an instant, her heart rate had sped when Tasuki—     _That was a natural reaction, silly. You were shocked to see him. _     She shrugged off the odd thought, and smiled when Yui turned to laughingly include her in the conversation.     "Don't you remember when that cat grabbed onto your ankles and you screamed? We thought she was being attacked, and it just turned out to be this scrawny little stray..."     "He ran off after I yelled, though." Wincing at the memory, she fought the blush rising to her cheeks. "It wasn't my fault he surprised me."     Chichiri chuckled, shaking his head. "She's always been easily startled."     Tasuki's head jerked up. "You know her?"     "Ah..." he floundered, flustered. "I don't—that is, she strikes me as the kind of person who is often lost in thought, you know. And people that are lost in thought are easily startled, you know."     _Interesting. He's talking the same way he was in the book... does he really have no memory of the past?_ Unnerved by her thoughts, Miaka managed a quick smile. "You're right," she laughed, forcing nonchalance. "Except it's not always because I'm 'lost in thought', as you put it."     "More often than not she's not," Shannon interjected quickly, and was rewarded by a particularly nasty look. Yui stifled a giggle.     Everyone seemed to relax, though Tasuki seemed to stare at the former monk with odd intensity. Miaka turned his attention quickly, without stopping to think about _why_ she didn't want anyone sharing her suspicions. "Tasuki, are you going to let them talk about me that way?" she complained lightly, throwing her friends a mock pout.     Sounding amused, he pointed out dryly, "It's good that she doesn't lose herself in her own mind 'cause it shows that she's smart enough t' track her way back." He winked at the redhead, and she blushed, grinning. The American sniffed and gave a sharp toss of her head.     "They always come to her rescue," she complained to Yui, who only laughed. She couldn't know just how well that explained their previous relationship to the russet-haired woman.   
  
    It was well past two in the morning by the time the three girls left the apartment. They'd been there for over five hours, laughing and joking, and tossing fantastic, ridiculous ideas of Miaka's past life as Suzaku's Priestess back and forth, as an explanation for the painting lying so innocently on the table. None of them seemed to realize how close they'd been to the truth, and the two former priestesses had relaxed, bantering with the rest.     The reincarnated seishi had fervently extended their invitation for the girls to come over at any time. Tasuki, too, had been given the same invitation.     Smiling, Miaka slipped her arm through the flame-haired seishi's as he escorted the three woman to Shannon's gold Stratus. "That was absolutely wonderful," she declared, laughing as the other two women groaned. They were already thinking about their finals the next morning. "I'm so glad you came up with the idea of relaxing tonight, Yui-chan!"     Her best friend groaned again. "Don't mention it, Mia-chan," she sighed. Tasuki bit back a laugh at the tone of resignation in her voice.     "Oh, but I should," came the evil-hearted reply. His shoulders shook with the strain of holding back his mirth. She squeezed his arm and winked. "After all, if it weren't for you..."     "Oh, Lord, that's enough," Shannon whimpered. "Let's just get home so I can sleep... God, I better not sleep through my alarm in the morning. I always do when I'm up too late."     "Call in sick." This friendly advice came from their escort, who was completely oblivious as to why they needed to wake up in the morning. Before the American could give him a sour response, Miaka jumped in.     "Oh, we don't work. We're students at CSUMB," she explained quickly. "We've all got finals tomorrow, since the semester's finishing up."     His brow arched in amusement. "CSUMB? I'm surprised you didn't meet Andy earlier."     Yui hummed softly. "That's right, he's a student there, isn't he?" She tossed her best friend a look he couldn't interpret. "Maybe it's destiny?" she quipped. Only Miaka sensed the underlying meaning behind her question.     Tasuki, interpreting it to mean a relationship between _his_ girl and the too-beautiful singer was destined, gave a half-growl. "Not if I can help it," he muttered. The woman latched onto his arm seemed oblivious to his words, though the other two women looked at each other with meaningfully arched brows.   
  


* * *

  
**CJ's Blurb**   
  
Woo! This chapter was a little better than the last, and went into a bit more detail about the seishi's reincarnated lives. ^_^ Rawr. I hope you like!   
  
**HoshiHikari4ever**: Well, after thinking for a while, I realized that Tasuki would fit Miaka better the way this fic is going to run. There's some things he'll do that Hotohori would probably never do in a hundred years. It's about all I can say about that. You'll just have to wait and see. I like Hotohori as well, and I think I may do a Hotohori/Miaka - based fic sometime, but this... well, it's just practically set up to beg Tasuki/Miaka. Maybe that's my subconscious talking to me. Or maybe it's destiny. Maybe Suzaku's talking in my ear. Muahaha.. *grins* Thank you for the compliment, too. :)   
  
**KittyLynne**: *sends hugs back* ;) Glad you're almost done with the Christmas shopping. That stuff can be stressful and hectic! But, it is fun! *giggles* You're welcome for doing Tasuki/Miaka. They're a wonderful couple. ^_^ I loved writing the Tasuki-rushes-after-Miaka scene as well. I thought it was just PERFECT to show his feelings for her. Of course, she's being a little obtuse and isn't ready to open her eyes to the possibilities yet.. *shakes her head sadly at Miaka* Well, I'll have to shake her up a little. It's destiny, after all. ;) I like Shannon too-- I thought she was really a character that has to be there. After all, without her, Yui and Miaka would probably be wallowing in grief :(   
    Muahaha, I can't blame you for having a 'secret thing' for him. He's great. Mmm. ^_^ *keeps KL in suspense in regards to the portrait* All I can tell you is that it is VERY important! *is evil* :D *giggles, sends hugs to her most faithful reviewer* You need to update your fic, by the way. *shakes finger* I want to read more! ^_^ 


	5. Unexpectedly Expected

**Chapter Five: Unexpectedly Expected**   
_Translation notes on the bottom!_   
  
    Miaka stared with blurred eyes at the paper in front of her. Although she was the lucky one of the trio, having a final in the afternoon, she found that it didn't really matter. Her head was still a little fuzzy, and the writing on the detestable test seemed to crawl together, a neat trick they'd obviously decided to try on the poor, unsuspecting, over-worked Japanese woman whose only fault had been to decide to take Phil 10.     Her fingers cramped as she scribbled in answers. Her attention darted to the clock, and she groaned. Fifteen minutes to go, and she was only halfway through the test. Luckily, the first half had contained all the essay-required questions.     She knew exactly why her attention was so broken. All six of the reasons had been popping into her head since she'd fallen into a fitful sleep the night before. The craziness of the situation reasserted itself in her head, and the deep worry she held over the book's world kept nagging at her, chewing at the back of her mind.     The call to Keisuke hadn't done much. He hadn't been home, and so she'd left a message asking him to call her back as soon as possible. Unfortunately, she knew that meant she'd be on the phone with her mother for the better part of an hour, and phone bills were expensive. Really, all of California was expensive. They'd spent sixty dollars at Safeway the other day, and all they'd stocked up on had been pizza, sodas, and eggs. Well, there had also been the donuts, and the bananas, but that was pretty much it. Luckily, the twenty-dollar gift card given out for Thanksgiving had done them some good.     Yui could afford it, of course. She and Tetsuya had been married for two months before the crash, and he'd left everything to her. Taka had done the same thing, but he hadn't had nearly as much as Tetsuya—the double wedding had been a strain on his bank account. Miaka sighed, remembering the two short months of bliss, before the empty darkness that seemed to stretch on forever. The two friends had been in a numb state for months, before the idea of leaving Japan had occurred to them. Really, they'd only just started to get on their feet before _this_ was pushed onto her.     She felt a little guilty at that thought. It wasn't though she minded—not really. But the not knowing nagged at her. At the very least, she deserved the consideration of being told what was going on, didn't she?     The thought of walking up to Suzaku and demanding such a thing from the beast-god made her stifle a nervous giggle. _Miaka, concentrate,_ she scolded herself, bending back to her task. She blinked, surprised to see that she'd managed to finish the rest of the test during her brief lapse in concentration. It was amazing what the body could do by rote.     "Miaka... Mrs. Sukunami?"     She jerked a little, then looked up at her professor with a quick smile. His blue eyes were bright, twinkling with life in a craggy, wrinkled old face. He had to be ninety years old, but he was still teaching. She had to admit that the class had been fun, despite her quiet horror at the difficulties of the English language. She had been getting straight "B"s on her essays, though, which was an accomplishment. "Hai, Crowell-sensei?" She blushed. "I mean, Professor Crowell," she corrected herself primly. He smiled gently, enchanted as always by her lapse into her native tongue.     "Everyone's already gone," he pointed out kindly. "I'm certain you have better things to do than sticking around a stuffy old classroom during your vacation...?"     "Oh!" Mortified, she looked around. Everyone _was_ gone. How she'd managed to overlook that was beyond her. "I-I didn't notice. I've been so preoccupied lately," she stammered, standing quickly to hand in her final. "I don't know what overcame me—"     "That's quite all right. They all finished early, and you on the dot." He took the final almost absently. "It was a pleasure having you in class, Miaka."     She blushed and bowed politely, a flash of red appearing in the corner of her eye. She turned her head, her jaw dropping in surprise as she saw Tasuki lounging against the door.     "Ah, hello there," Professor Crowell exclaimed. "Are you here to pick up Mrs. Sukunami?" He chuckled. "It's a beautiful day for a date, especially to wind down after the rigors of finals."     Miaka blushed, though her eyes held a happy sparkle. The flame-haired man seemed to hesitate, but nodded brusquely. "I was just walkin' by and thought Miaka could use somethin' to eat," he explained, staring at her intently.     "That's a wonderful idea," her professor exhorted. "Gotta take care of these delicate Japanese flowers, eh?" He winked, and Tasuki grinned, his fangs flashing.     She smiled upon seeing them. Like Andy's eyes, her seishi's fangs were so familiar that she hadn't really noticed them before. It wasn't until he gave that familiar self-satisfied 'bandit-got-loot' grin that she realized—again—that he seemed to be almost exactly the woman-hating man she'd left behind. A trembling feeling entered her knees, and she hid it by leaning down to grab her purse. "The weather in Tokyo is far harsher than those here in Monterey," she commented calmly. "I would think you Californians would be the delicate ones."     The old man laughed appreciatively as Tasuki escorted her out the door, looking her over from behind his sunglasses. She felt the oddest urge to yank them off and expose all his secrets in the progress. "Mrs. Sukunami?" An unfamiliar inflection touched his voice, and she nodded, pain constricting her throat.     Sukunami... a name she'd embraced gladly for a blissful time. Then, later, it became a name she hated, but couldn't bear to discard. "I'm a widow," she said simply. There would be another time to explain to him that his brother warrior had died.     "I'm sorry." The words didn't convey any real regret, and she looked up sharply. Then she scolded herself for the second time that day. _Silly Mia, he doesn't even know Taka right now. He doesn't know you, so why would he know him? The words are just one of those social niceties that are expected of you._ She forced herself to relax.     "It happened three years ago. You couldn't have known."     "I thought your friend Yui introduced you as Miaka Yuuki, though..." He looked thoughtful.     "Same reason I think of her as Yui Hongo. She's known me by that name far longer than I was Miaka Sukunami." She sighed. "Of course, she is Yui Hongo again. After Tetsuya died, she... didn't want the memories of the name." Pain entered her jade eyes, filled with sudden tears. Three years wasn't nearly long enough to mourn.     "I'm sorry," he murmured again, this time with real distress as he saw her tears. He tugged her elbow gently, stopping her in the middle of the sidewalk. Carefully brushing away her tears with one blunt fingertip, he managed a shaky smile. "Don't cry, Miaka. I can't bear to see ya cry." She sniffled, now in serious danger of turning into a blubbering mass of humanity. Alarmed, he pulled her close, rubbing his hand over her back soothingly. "Aw, Mia, don' cry," he whispered, his breath tickling her ear. He nuzzled his cheek over the top of her head, wondering anew at her delicate stature. She was wearing those cute strappy sandals again, and only came to his shoulders.     "Gomen nasai," she sniffed, resting her face against his chest. The warm security of his arms soothed her, lulled her. The tears slowly faded as he rocked her gently. "I-I don't normally cry," she confessed. Although she should have been embarrassed, she wasn't. After all, Tasuki had seen her tears before, though he couldn't remember them. And it felt so right to be held in his arms again.     _My seishi, my friend,_ she thought affectionately, snuggling a little closer, her small hands creeping around his waist to clasp together at the small of his back. She didn't want to let him go just yet. _It's so good to have you here with me again. I promise, if there's something wrong, I will fix it. I can do anything with you at my side. I can do anything with your love._ Her fuzzy brain didn't quite realize how she was separating Tasuki from the rest of her seishi in her thoughts. She let out a broken little sigh. _Wonderful Tasuki. He's always been so good to me._     Tasuki tightened his hold, breathing in the scent of her hair. It smelled like melons, a fact that failed to surprise him, though it delighted him. He smiled, closing his eyes at the feel of her in his arms, although he didn't quite like the reason she was in them. He'd have to get her over her grief of her husband before he could claim her. _Well,_ the optimistic side of him ventured, _at least you don't have a live husband to worry about. That would make things a lot harder._ Not that it would have stopped him.     He loosened his arms reluctantly as she finally stirred, putting a tiny bit of space between them. He missed her warmth acutely as she stepped back, giving him a smile he could only describe as _fuzzy_. It was a cute, warm, sleepy, content smile he imagined cats had after they'd discovered a cream factory.     "You mentioned something about food?"     He smiled as the light in her eyes turned from warmly-comforted to avaricious greed. He knew she loved to eat. He wasn't surprised at knowing such a thing—after all, he was mortally certain he'd known her before his amnesia blotted such a wonderful memory from his mind.     "Yeah," he drawled. "I'm treatin' ya to the best subs in the county."   
  
    Quizno's Subs was filled with activity, an unusual occurrence at four in the afternoon. With dramatic flair, Tasuki eased his bright red SUV into a compact parking slot, causing his passenger to laugh so hard tears came to her eyes.     Although it was odd to picture the fiery bandit driving a family car, Miaka could see the connection easily. Underneath the gruff exterior was a keen need of family and love. That wasn't to say he didn't have a motorcycle stashed away somewhere—which, he was quick to assure her, he did.     "Just as red, too," he proclaimed with a wide smirk as she fell into another fit of giggles. Rolling his eyes in exasperation, despite being secretly pleased at his ability to make her laugh and chase the shadows from her eyes, he came to her side of the vehicle. "C'mon, Mia, we only got fifteen minutes here, 'ccordin' to this sign. Ya gotta stop laughin' if ya want some food," he playfully pouted.     As anticipated, she quickly sobered as she slid out of the passenger seat. Still, she couldn't help another snicker from slipping out as she slanted a glance at his face. She slipped her arm through his naturally as he escorted her to the little diner off of 68. He caught her look and crossed his eyes down at her. She was fast to lose her composure, all but falling as she giggled her way through the doors, clutching his arm like a lifeline.     The other customers shot them amused, fond looks, the same way they would glance at two little girls playing in a sandbox. Miaka cleared her throat as they took their place in line, absently nestling into his side. "So, what do you recommend?" She looked over the menu high on the wall, her brow creased in concentration.     Tasuki subtly moved his arm so she slid her hand into his, linking their fingers together companionably. "Dunno. Maybe the mesquite chicken with bacon?" He arched a brow down at her, and she nodded.     "Sounds good. Ooh, they have soup?" she squealed, checking the urge to salivate at the thought of clam chowder with her sandwich. She _adored_ clam chowder, just like any immigrant to Monterey. The natives, of course, all became heartily sick of the stuff after ten years of it in every restaurant they found. She'd heard that it was even served in a Chinese buffet.     He laughed as he stepped up place their order. "Mesquite chicken with bacon, white bread, large. Can we have two, actually, and no tomato for one?"     The spiky-haired girl behind the counter nodded, grabbing the bread and cutting it with swift movements. Miaka moved closer to watch as she liberally spread ranch dressing over the bread. "That cheese looks good," she murmured softly as the cheddar slices were spread and quickly covered with red onions, tomato, chicken and bacon. Tasuki stifled a laugh, tugging her toward the cash register as their food was put into a huge toaster oven. It looked rather like a pizza oven. _Maybe their name should be legally changed. Who really cooks toast in a toaster oven? Hash browns, sure, but toast? Isn't that what toasters are for?_     "Don't get a drink," he cautioned as she almost reached out for a peach tea Snapple. "I've got that covered."     She looked up at him, curious, but he only grinned. Nudging a twenty into her hand, he said quickly, "I'll be right back."     She watched him disappear into the doors of the building next door, curious. Quickly paying for their meal, she snagged a window table. "Ooh, jalapenos!" she squealed, her eyes caught by the small containers next to their seat. Almost waltzing over to her prize, she spooned the peppers into small dishes, humming softly to herself. She didn't notice the various glances tossed her way, amused by her almost childish joy of everything—of life.     She was settled and taking her first bite of the toasted sub when Tasuki returned, grinning proudly as he set a huge plastic cup in front of her. His own was slightly smaller. "Orange-banana smoothie," he explained quickly, and smiled at the sight of the jalapeños. "Good taste!"     "Hab kwaywing fow ot foo," she mumbled around a mouthful of melted cheese, ranch and chicken. A tiny piece of green pepper fell to the wrapper as she spoke, and she picked it up absently, popping it back into her mouth. He grinned as she quickly chewed and swallowed. "I have a craving for hot foods. I think it started when I started eating some lethal Korean food Shannon's mom used to make. Didn't know she was half Korean, did you?" She grinned into the flame-haired man's surprised eyes. "She takes after her dad, though she has her mom's hair." She took another bite, chewing with relish. Her eyes closed in bliss. "Mmm, vif if goo."     That he could translate without her help. "Isn't it?" he agreed, taking his own bite, liberally sprinkled with the hot peppers. She nodded enthusiastically, reaching for her smoothie after swallowing.     Tasuki nearly choked as she took a long pull on the white straw, feeling a familiar stirring in his gut. _Damn it, Tas, it's bad when you're gettin' aroused watchin' her drink a smoothie._ Shifting uncomfortably, knowing instinctively that she'd bolt if he gave any indication of his current train of thought, he quickly asked the first question he could think of. "How'd you and Shannon meet?"     She looked thoughtful over her straw, reluctantly abandoning the creamy treat to answer. "She was in my French class, actually. She helped me out a lot with the pronunciation, and with my English, too. After a semester, she moved in with me and Yui 'cause she couldn't stand her roommates anymore."     "Hmm." He felt both relieved and disappointed when she attacked her food again, but they both quickly fled when he realized watching her eat was having just as sensual an impact as watching her savor the cold concoction.     He turned his attention to his own food just as she asked, "Tasuki? Did you know there's a little kitty under your car?"     He glanced out the window, frowning. It was impossible to see underneath—     "I saw it run in." She took a last bite of her sub and dashed out the door. He wondered absently how she could eat so fast as he packed up his own food, resigned to eating later. Somehow, he knew they were going to have unexpected company.     Sauntering out to his SUV, he grinned at the sight of Miaka kneeling on the ground, crooning to what had to be a terrified kitten. He heard a pathetic little mew, and gave a half-hearted sigh as he leaned against the hood.     After a moment, a tiny black head peeked out, followed by the rest of its body. Its feet and the tip of its tail were white, which, of course, had the russet-haired girl cooing sweetly over them. "Isn't she adorable?" she demanded, snuggling the kitty to her chest. "I think she's hungry. Oh, that's perfect." She spotted the bag holding his sub and grabbed it, reaching inside to feed the now-purring animal small pieces of chicken. "Oh you poor sweetie, you must have been starving for ages," she crooned.     He sighed. Not annoyed, just resigned to the fact that he _knew_ that he was going to have a cat in his house.     "Tasuki dear..." she began.     "I guess I need to go to go buy some cat food, kitty litter and whatever else she needs?" he interrupted, scowling down at the scrawny little puff of fur that had so completely won his Miaka over.     She beamed. "Why, what a wonderful idea! I'm so glad you thought of it."   
  
    The little kitten was purring ecstatically on her lap as Tasuki maneuvered his way through highway 68, trying to keep a put-out expression on his face without much success. Every time Miaka giggled or the furry thing let out an extra-loud purr, a tiny smile would curve his lips. There was also the incident with the manager over having the cat in the store, too. She didn't fight against another giggle as she remembered it.     They had ransacked a local Nob Hill for the cat's food, and scandalized employees, cowed by the absolute assurance in Tasuki's stance, had run for the manager. He'd come and complained about having a little kitten sniffing all the different brands of cat food, saying that they ran a quality store and that animals weren't allowed on the premises.     The former bandit had simply stared him in the eye and declared, jerking his thumb in the direction of the innocent culprit, "That li'l kitten was abused by its former owner, tossed int'a street without a second thought, starved 'cause no one cared 'nuff to feed the poor tyke, an' now that she's got a nice family, ya complain 'cause we're givin' her the courtesy of choosin' her own food? Would ya come in and complain if we came in with a tassel o' brats who couldn't decide over Lucky Charms or Apple Jacks? No, ya wouldn't. Why, you're species-ist, aren'tcha?"     Stammering, the manager had somehow managed to get some of his spine back when a nearby customer snapped, "For goodness sake, leave the poor kitty alone. It's not like she's into the fresh produce, and cat's have just as much a right to choosing their own food as humans do!"     All the others in the crowd that had gathered had agreed, nodding firmly, and the manager had fled with the quick warning to keep her out of perishable products.     Miaka had giggled their way to the cash register and dragged Tasuki to Collier's Pet and Feed Supply to get his new pet a litter box. Now they were happily on their way back to Monterey, and he was trying to act as though he'd been given a horrible but necessary task to complete.     Grumbling and grousing beneath his breath, he tried for a pout to see if he'd get any sympathy from the woman at his side. It was wasted when she gave all her attention to the "poor kitty" in her lap.     "What shall we name her?" Miaka asked brightly as he braked to a gentle stop at the seventh signal light.     "Annoyin' brat," he shot back, accelerating as the light quickly turned green. "Damned lights should make up their minds," he grunted, glancing quickly at the redhead. She was still completely oblivious to his sneaking observations.     "How about Angel? Isn't she an absolute angel? Aren't you, Angel?" she cooed, rubbing a furry tummy. Tiny paws wrapped around her wrist as she mewed.     "That's a lotta angels," he grumbled.     "Angel it is, then?"     "Whatever." He saw her glancing at him and quickly tried the pout again. Her expression softened. Before he realized what transpired, she'd taken off her seat belt and snuggled against his side, depositing the kitten in his lap. He swore as he nearly drove them into the other lane, and jerked the steering wheel. Miaka squealed and laughed.     "Gods, Tasuki, be careful!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide and twinkling with amusement.     He couldn't tell her that the feeling of her soft breasts pressed against his arm had caused his lapse in attention, so he just muttered something about the cat, who was presently kneading his thigh happily. "Figured out I'm the one who sacrificed his lunch for ya, huh, brat?" he asked sourly. The cat mewed happily and curled up warmly. Miaka reached her hand over to wrestle her ears, giggling when those tiny paws shot out to 'catch' her hand. She rested her hand on his thigh, and he tensed. But it was quickly removed as the kitten tried to pounce it.     _She doesn't even realize the other game she's playin',_ he thought grimly. Damn, but it was going to be a long drive back to the apartment.     And if that damned cat wouldn't stop landing on a certain portion of his anatomy, he was going to be a eunuch in five minutes.   
  


* * *

  
**Hai**: Yes  
**Sensei**: Teacher  
**Gomen nasai**: I'm sorry  
  
**CJ's Blurb**: Such fuzziness. Such fluffiness. Such Tasukiness. If I've never mentioned how much I adore Tasuki, I shall say it now. The guy is adorable. (Yes, I just re-watched the second OAV scene where he saves Miaka from the lake. Wee. So adorably cute he is!)   
  
**HoshiHikari4ever**: Yeah, a Hoto/Mia fic would be great. The only problem is that writing contemporary is really hard for me. I might base it back in the book world, I'll just need to come up with a decent plot for that. ^_^ I do want to write one though, eventually. That just won't happen until this one is done, for sure. But don't worry, Hotohori won't be lonely in this fic, either! -grins-   
  
**Desiderata**: -bows- Arigatou gozaimasu, I'm glad you liked it! I hated it, but hey, if the readers like it, that's all good, right? ^_^ Yes, Tas/Mia are adorable together, aren't they? -snuggles the two and sighs dreamily- He's so hot. And those fangs... Gawd, I love those fangs. I want to keep him forever and ever amen. And yes, I think authoresses is how you spell it. ^_^ -blushes- I'm honored!   
  
**KittyLynne**: -squeal- I love getting your reviews. They make my day! ^_^ Hehe, the point of the fourth chapter was to get the characterization and the relationships between everyone in there. Glad it worked. :D I sort of liked how I did it, but wasn't sure if it was too lame. Good to know you approve! *nods* Yes, Tama made his entrance. Isn't he adorable? I love cats. Maybe I should get a pet dog in, too (my dog is always snuggled up next to my side when I'm writing; should I give him a cameo? Teehee)     Shannon's role in the story is my li'l secret. You'll just have to guess and keep me entertained with your guesses! ~.^ And yes, the comment was very revealing, and Miaka, being true to form, just doesn't hear a thing. Ah, wonderful selective hearing. ^.^ -looks around innocently- Chichiri? Be anything more than an amnesiac victim? Perish the thought! I don't know WHERE you got THAT idea! -sniffs-     -perks up at the mention of bribes- I can be bribed, but it has to be a very good bribe. Like, oh, a weekend getaway with Tasuki, Hotohori and Sesshoumaru... or something like that. ;) Maybe a year-long getaway. But then, they probably wouldn't last that long. Tasuki's SURE to get on Sesshoumaru's nerves (which gives me a new idea for a scene in Fangs and Family). Hmm! Oi, getting sidetracked!     -blushes- Well, thanks for the recommendation! -grins- I'm glad to know someone who writes as well as *you* can like *my* humble works. Arigatou gozaimasu! *bow, bow* Hehe, my finger's doing MUCH better, thanks. It no longer feels like the nail's gonna pop off. Maybe I'm getting used to it, or something. I think it's my worst injury in all my 18 years.. well, except that one time when I was little and bit through my lower lip.. or the other time where I broke my finger in the car window.. but I don't remember those, I just get stories from my parents about 'em. *nodnod* You're very welcome for the reviews. ^_^ I had to force myself to slow down to review every chapter, though. I just wanted to keep going and going. SO glad you're coming out with another one. Gotta work on 'The Promise', too! *pokes, pokes* Or I'll have to do something drastic—like holding back a chapter of FW sometime! -stern look- -grin- I can do it, too! ;) (Wow, this was long. I think I talk too much. ;p) 


	6. Late Night Confessions

    Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi. Not a single solitary particle of it. I just borrow it and hope I don't step on any toes.   
  
**Chapter Six: Late Night Confessions**   
  
    She snuggled under the covers, brushing out her hair absently. Yui was curled up with her on the window seat, as they both watched the stairs. Both girls were silent, waiting for the phone to ring. By unspoken consent, the two decided to talk about everything _after_ they spoke to Keisuke. An hour earlier, Miaka had finally managed to get him on the phone and asked him to retrieve the book from Tokyo's National Library.     Foreboding thickened the atmosphere in the room as her brushstrokes slowed. The blonde reached out without thinking and took the comb, taking over the job herself as she hummed softly. Slender fingers expertly wove russet strands into a tight French braid, giving up her view of the brilliantly lit night for the mundane task.     The front door slammed, echoing in the near-silent house. Soft cursing could be heard was something thudded onto the floor. Then the unmistakable sound of heels clicking against linoleum and the refrigerator door opening.     She slipped an elastic band on the end of the braid as the phone rang. Miaka picked it up immediately. "Moshi moshi? Keisuke?" She fell silent for a long moment, reaching over her shoulder to nervously wind her newly-styled hair around her finger. Her face turned grimly resigned, and she nodded with a soft "Hai"—presumably at some piece of news. Yui was quick to realize that the news wasn't entirely unexpected. "Mm-hmm. Arigatou, onii-chan." She nodded again, and went off into a rapid peal of Japanese just as the bedroom door opened.     Shannon arched a brow at the blonde, noting the fingers tightly clenched around the blanket, knuckles white with strain. "'Sup?" she asked warily, peeling off her heels and padding over to take her place on the window seat. She gently pulled the blanket from her friend's clutching fingers, wrapping one end of it around her hip. "She talking to that brother of hers?"     "Hai," Yui murmured, nervously plucking at a loose thread. It was unlike the calm, collected, elegant woman to give in to such gestures. The American tugged at her hand, linking their fingers together easily.     "Whatever this is about, I want the full story," she said as soon as Miaka hung up the phone. The two Japanese women sighed, and the redhead managed a weak smile.     "You're going to think we're crazy. Come on, I need to get out of this room." She jumped up, grabbing a second blanket off her bed and trailing it behind her into the living room. Shannon tugged Yui and the first blanket along with her as she followed the normally exuberant woman.     "I put some water on the heat," she said quickly as they made a tiny nest of the blankets. "Let me get some hot chocolate for all of us, and you can start talking." The kitchen was separated from the living/dining room by a waist-high counter, allowing her to stay with the conversation as she poured hot water into three thick mugs.     Miaka relaxed as the smell of chocolate began to waft through the air. She sniffed the heavenly aroma and sighed. It had become a ritual to have hot chocolate along with their 'Late Night Confessions'. Shan termed it "an adult girl talk". It had been instrumental in getting the two widows to start enjoying their lives again.     "Start from the beginning. I know it has something to do with those people we met yesterday." She glanced at the wall clock and bit back a sigh. Ten o'clock, and she had the sneaking suspicion that they'd be there for hours yet. There went another night without sleep, and another final in the morning, too. Of course, this was just as important as sleep. _The things I do for friendship,_ she thought with the slightest smile.     The other two shared an apprehensive glance. "I have to ask you to be open-minded about this," Miaka said hesitantly. At her friend's nod of acquiescence, she glanced away, staring intensely at a wall. It was easier that way, as she tried to think of the words to describe the most important events in her life. And in Yui's, as well.     "I think it would be easier for me to tell it as a story," she murmured. "It would be too hard, otherwise."     "I'm not pushing." Shannon's words were kind, understanding. She handed out the mugs of hot cocoa before snuggling into the warm space the blankets housed.     The russet-haired girl nodded, pain flashing through her head, settling in a region right above her eye. She rubbed it, sighing, before dropping her hand into Yui's, clasping it tightly. Reassurance flowed through her at that tactile contact. Friendship meant trust, and she knew it was time for them to share their secret past lives with their _new_ companion, who had become an irreplaceable part of their lives.   
  


*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*` 

  
    Many times during her life, she heard her mother tell her to stop acting so irresponsible. Friends were nice to have, but they weren't permanent. Only family and the effort put forth in one's own life would stay constant. The only guarantees.     "Miaka," the scolding would begin, "you need to study for your tests. How are you going to get into Jonan if all you ever do is spend time with Yui and your friends? I know Yui can keep her grades up, but you have a harder time than she does. She'll understand if you can't do things all the time because you need to put in extra time before the next test. Don't you want to have a good life? Do you want to struggle like I do?"     She lived her life knowing that friendship could be more than a passing phase, but it had never been proven to her. It was to her good luck that she had a best friend who was intensely loyal.     The two girls were normal girls, going to school and working hard. They laughed and played and were untouched by the harsh realities of life. They were still children, although their bodies had matured into womanhood. They had never felt heartbreak or true sorrow. The important things in their life were their families, their tests, and their friends. The gossip over who was dating who, or who finally kissed whom, was a needed part of everyday life.     It is while she is in this frame of mind that a vision of Suzaku comes to Miaka, causing the two girls to encounter a book, hidden behind doors that should have been locked. It calls to her in a way she cannot comprehend. As she and Yui sit on the cold floor, they open the pages to read. "This is the story of a young girl, who single-handedly gathered the Seven Stars of Suzaku and gained the power to make all of her dreams come true."*   
  


*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*` 

  
    Shannon's eyes widened. "Suzaku—isn't that the legend they spoke of yesterday? The one about the priestess and the warriors?"   
  


*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*` 

  
    "The story itself is an incantation. The one who reads it through will be given the powers and granted a wish like the girl in the story. Because the story begins and becomes real... the moment the first page is turned."*     Upon reading this puzzling passage, the two girls are surrounded by a brilliant red light, enveloping them in warmth. It seems to lift them, and takes them from their world into a place where time doesn't pass, and everything fades away. The next thing they remember is waking up on dirt and rock, far away from any cities, on a nearly featureless plain, but for the dead trees, almost sinister in their appearance.     There they are attacked by slave traders, only to be rescued a young man with a glowing scarlet mark appearing on his forehead—the symbol of Oni. There, Yui is transported back to her own world and time as Miaka is left alone in what she knows as Shijin Tenchi Sho, or the Book of the Universe of the Four Gods.     Not having seen her best friend be taken away by the same crimson light as before, Miaka looks for their savior who she believes took Yui, ending up in a large city. There she is accosted by a band of wrong-hearted men, only to once again be saved by the young rescuer from before.     This man, Tamahome by name, swears to help her find her friend. Unfortunately, they are captured by soldiers on the emperor's command and thrown into the palace dungeons before he can fulfill his promise. Escaping the compound, the two are separated. A mysterious benefactor by the name of Hotohori shows Miaka the way to the city, and upon learning that she is from a completely different world, this beautiful woman becomes excited.     It is then Tamahome reappears, being dragged by guards. Stunned by their callous treatment of their prisoner, Miaka begs them to leave him be. When they take her into their custody, the mark of Oni once again appears on the man's forehead, and he attacks those who come near the foreign woman. Seeing this, Hotohori shouts for order.     Miaka learns that who she believed to be a beautiful woman is none other than the Emperor of Konan, which is the country she is now in. From him she learns of the legend of Suzaku, the god-protector of Konan. The legend states that a girl will appear from another world when the empire faces destruction, and she will gain the power of Suzaku and save the land. When asked if she would take the responsibility upon her shoulders, she agrees to become the Priestess of Suzaku.     At that time, she did not take the role out of a wish to save the country. Indeed, it was the idea of having all her wishes granted that motivated her agreement, and the wish to return to her home.     With the thought of returning home in mind, she asks the emperor how to find the rest of the seishi. There she learns that all of the Suzaku Shichi Seishi are named after the seven constellations in the southern portion of the sky: Chichiri, Tamahome, Nuriko, Hotohori, Chiriko, Tasuki, Mitsukake. The emperor reveals himself to be Hotohori, the sea serpent, and her savior Tamahome, the crab. Hotohori has the mark of Hoshi on his neck.   
  


*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*` 

  
    "It figures Andy Wong would take the name of the emperor," Shannon muttered.   
  


*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*` 

  
    The most gifted warrior-scholars of Konan are gathered in the capital, in an attempt to find the other five of the Shichisei. Priestess of Suzaku and Tamahome are trapped under a collapsed building in an unfortunate mishap, and a young woman named Korin, from the emperor's harem, shows exceptional strength as she pulls the rubble away. She is revealed as the third seishi, Nuriko, with the mark of Yanagi on her chest.     Unlike the other two, she seems to hold no interest in taking her place as a seishi, and the two women develop hard feelings toward each other over Tamahome, whom Nuriko confesses to love. In an attempt to win over the newest Shichisei, Miaka acts as her lady's maid, with no results.     Later, Miaka learns of Korin's deep love for the emperor, which is not returned. In an attempt to help her gain the affection of Hotohori, Miaka visits his chambers to speak with him on the subject. Unfortunately, in a sudden twist of fate, his Imperial Highness proclaims his love for the Priestess of Suzaku. Overhearing this conversation, both Tamahome and Nuriko become jealous.     As the other two seishi become cool towards her, Miaka attempts to confess her love to Tamahome, who rejects it.     Falling terribly ill just moments after her declaration, she is taken back to the palace and a decision is made by the emperor to take the priestess to the creator of the world, Taiitsukun, in order to restore Miaka to her true world.     The three seishi travel with her. In a test to determine the loyalty of the Suzaku Shichi Seishi and the strength of the priestess, Taiitsukun traps Miaka into a mirror. An evil reflection of her, representing the darkest corners of her heart, returns to the seishi. Although they quickly learn that the reflection is not Miaka, they cannot defeat her until the true priestess has managed to escape the mirror.     At this point, Miaka realizes that she would rather die than allow a monster to kill her companions. She takes a shard and pierces herself in the chest, near the heart. The mirror shatters and the monster is killed by the seishi, but the priestess herself is dying.     Nuriko, who has been unmasked as a man masquerading as a woman, tends to her wound. The other two make a vow to give their own lives in order for Miaka to live, which she hears in her unconscious state. Yui's voice also comes to her, telling her to go back to those who love her. Tamahome and Hotohori spill blood, and her will to live returns. Due to this act of loyalty, Taiitsukun appears to the seishi and their priestess, and tells them of the means to allow Miaka to return to her world.     Unfortunately, once the Priestess of Suzaku is sent back to her world, her best friend Yui—who had been monitoring her progress by reading the book—disappears. Although Miaka has been gone for days within the Universe of the Four Gods, only hours have passed in her world.     She returns home after a fruitless search for her friend, and speaks to her brother of her experiences in the book. He disbelieves her, though she has the strong feeling that Yui has been taken into the Universe of the Four Gods in her own place.   
  


*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*` 

  
    Yui settled back into the covers after refilling the mugs of chocolate. Miaka's lay untouched from before.   
  


*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*` 

  
    Determined to find her best friend, she returns to the library and re-enters the book, despite promising her brother to stay away from it. He follows her but is too late to stop her from returning to the Universe of the Four Gods, and begins to read as he reluctantly is forced to believe her earlier words.     On her return, Miaka learns that three months have passed for her seishi. Tamahome has left the palace, though Nuriko and Hotohori are delighted to see her again. She is told that Kutou has become a greater threat in her absence, and the need to find the other four Suzaku Shichi Seishi is urgent.     Nuriko and Miaka depart from the capital and find Tamahome. Miaka is saved by an assassination attempt by a wandering monk, who disappears, though the two seishi and the priestess encounter him once again the next day near Tamahome's home, after a second assassination attempt. He is revealed as Chichiri, another seishi, with the mark of Ii on his knee. Tamahome's family is attacked soon after, and the third assassin killed, but before he dies he tells them of the search for the Priestess of Seiryuu.     Deeply troubled by this information, Miaka realizes that Yui is possibly the Priestess of Seiryuu, and makes her way to Kutou without her seishi, not wishing to put them in any danger. In Kutou, she claims to be the Priestess of Seiryuu, and is taken to the emperor. There she meets again with Yui, and is revealed as the Priestess of Suzaku, losing the precious scroll she was given that was her guide to finding the other Shichisei.   
  


*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*` 

  
    The blonde shivered, once again clasping Miaka's hand tightly. It was time for her to share the tale as well. "When I had entered the book, I was attacked by a gang of men, much as Miaka was. I wasn't conscious for the last part of it. A man named Nakago, one of the Seiryuu Shichi Seishi, saved me... I believed I was raped, and he didn't tell me otherwise. My confidence in my best friend was being eaten away the longer I waited for her to return. When she finally came to Kutou and I learned of her love for Tamahome... I hated her." Her eyes filled with tears. She would never be able to go through her life without feeling such regret for the problems she had caused. Although she had accepted it as her past, acceptance didn't mean the feelings would go away.     Miaka squeezed her hand gently, watching Shannon soberly. "I won't ask if you can believe all of this yet—but I have told you enough detail now for you to understand the general story. The rest of this is going to be fast, but we don't have enough time for me to tell you everything." Pain clouded her face briefly. "And I don't think I could... go through it all in one night."     Impulsively, the American put her hand over theirs. "Take it at your own pace, Mia," she said quietly. "They are your memories and your emotions. I would be pretty callous if I demanded you to tell me everything right away." She smiled, reassuring, calm. "And although everything sounds a little crazy, I know you both aren't given to fits of delusion."     "Arigatou, Shan-chan," Miaka whispered, blinking away her own tears.   
  


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    The Priestess of Suzaku and her seishi escape Kutou and once again search for the missing Shichisei, with the aid of a small mirror from Taiitsukun. They find Genrou, leader of the Mt. Reikaku bandits, who is also known as Tasuki of the Suzaku Shichi Seishi, holding the mark of Tsubasa on his forearm. In a village riddled with a mysterious plague, they find a hermit doctor by the name of Myojuan. After defeating the monster spreading the illness, he is found to have the mark of Shin on his palm, revealing him to be Mitsukake.     Now they have only one more seishi to find, but unknown to the priestess and her companions, one of the Seiryuu Shichi Seishi is masquerading as Chiriko. He saves Miaka's life from a horde of bats using his flute, and is welcomed as a seishi, and the holy rite to summon Suzaku begins at the palace.     "Chiriko" exposes himself as Amiboshi after the ceremony is ruined and attempts to kill them, though the real Chiriko manages to save the lives of the priestess and other seishi. Unlike the others, he is a young child, but filled with vast knowledge. Although the rite cannot be repeated in order to summon Suzaku, Taiitsukun reassures them that on finding the Shinzaho, an item worn by a former priestess during a summoning ceremony, they will be able to summon the phoenix-god of the south.   
  


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    She finally paused to take a sip of cooling cocoa, now unable to fight the tears streaming freely down her face. She knew what was to come next in the story, and reciting it brought the pain once again, as well as her fierce pride in her seishi and her grief and guilt over the tumultuous events that had occurred before Suzaku had been summoned—and after.     She shuddered violently, her pupils dilated as the memories assaulted her. Shannon's arms came around her, firm yet gentle, and Yui's hand rubbed her back gently as she cried her own tears. Those days had marked them both.     She spoke haltingly of the massacre of Tamahome's family, and the almost frightening power he wielded. She wept bitterly as she spoke of Suboshi's madness in his belief that his twin brother had been killed by the Suzaku Shichi Seishi, when in reality he had made the choice to fall into a river instead of facing those he had betrayed.     Then it was the story of Nuriko's valiant struggle against Ashitare of the Seiryuu Seishi, and his subsequent death after defeating him; the words flowed freely as she remembered his loyalty and love for his priestess, despite their rocky start. Despite her sorrow, she spoke lovingly of his devotion and his need to put everything he had in his role as her protector. She remembered her devastation when he had no longer been with her, and spoke of it plainly. Her deep pain over his death was soothed by his new life here.     Now, the success of retrieving the Shinzaho from the two Genbu Seishi who had guarded it, long past the ending of their physical lives. She remembered their relieved belief of the search being over, and the hard crash to reality when they were told another Shinzaho, of the Priestess of Byakko, was still needed for the summoning.     Her eyes darkened with remembered horror as she recounted Ashitare's resurrection as a wolf, stealing the Shinzaho and returning it to the hands of Nakago. Mortification and humiliation flushed anew through her body as she spoke of her believed 'rape' by Nakago, and Tomo's attempt after she realized it hadn't happened. A fleeting softness passed over her face as she recalled Amiboshi appearing to save her, despite his ties to the Seiryuu Seishi, her enemy, but faded as she told of Suboshi killing Tomo when he attacked his twin.     Her shoulders slumped as she tried to regain her energy, sapped by the retelling of her adventures and her vivid recollection of it all. Yui snuggled against her side, still rubbing her back gently, locking her eyes with Shannon's.     "To make a long story short, Miaka and the others managed to get the second Shinzaho as well, before I tricked it away from her. They killed one of my seishi, Miboshi, an evil creep... but he fled his body and possessed Chiriko. They... both died when Chiriko killed himself in order to keep Miboshi from staying alive again." Her lips tightened. She had been the source of all Miaka's ills...     "I summoned Seiryuu, and my first wish was to seal Suzaku away. My second was to return me and Miaka to our world, and Tamahome somehow managed to come too... She never mentioned, but I was determined to have Tamahome for myself, to get back at her and hurt her as much as she hurt me..."     "It's okay, Yui-chan," the redhead was quick to urge, hugging her tightly. "I forgave you for that long ago."     Her friend smiled briefly before continuing, "In my jealousy, I called Nakago, begging him to come to this world. Suboshi was first to come, and Tamahome killed him when he attacked Miaka. Then Nakago came, and he nearly killed Tamahome. He wanted me to ask Seiryuu to make him a god, but... I don't know how I found the strength. No, I do," she corrected herself quickly. "Miaka's belief in me, despite everything I did to her and all the heartache I caused her, gave me the strength to make my last wish. I wished for her to have the power to summon Suzaku, and asked her to... to save everyone." She closed her eyes, sighing. "All of her seishi came to her, out of loyalty and friendship. Her first wish was to have me come back, because I was devoured by Seiryuu. I hadn't the will to stand up to him," she explained at Shannon's puzzled look. "So he overtook my body because I wasn't strong enough. Her second wish was to seal Seiryuu, which allowed Tamahome to kill Nakago. Her third... she asked Suzaku to restore the world from the damage caused by all the fighting."     "That should have been the end of the story, but it wasn't." Miaka shifted as she once again took up her part. "Although the seishi had been sent back to the Universe of the Four Gods, Tamahome managed to return somehow, and stayed with me. Not very long after he came back, he was forced back into the book. At the same time, the priestess of Genbu's tombstone was starting to fade. We tried to find the book, but it had disappeared..." She clutched Yui's hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "It ended up that Tomo, who we thought died, had been restored to life by Tenkou, an evil demon. Tomo was controlling Yui and had her steal the book and return to it as the priestess of Genbu, which was why Takiko-san's tombstone was disappearing. I came back to the book, and we sealed Tenkou away. Though... Tamahome couldn't stay in our world because of it."     Shannon continued to hold her wordlessly, and she smiled. "He came back to me, though, as a man named Taka Sukunami, who had no memory of his past in the Universe of the Four Gods. When... when Tenkou came back from his sealing, we had to return to the book again and defeat him." She paused as, suddenly, a memory of Tasuki floated to her mind; kneeling over her, telling him how much he loved her and how he hated Taka for making her cry. She flinched.     When she didn't continue, the American loosened her hold and stood to take the cups to the kitchen. "I know I'm missing a lot of information in between all the important stuff, but I think I get the gist, which is what is important, right?"     "Hai," Yui agreed, as Miaka sagged against her, closing her eyes tightly as her headache returned.     "So these guys... they're these seishi of Miaka's, sans memories?" she guessed.     "Hai. That picture... it's of me during the ceremony to summon Suzaku. I don't know who painted it, or how it got here, but I think either Taiitsukun or Suzaku-sekun has something to do with it." She sighed wearily. "I just don't know why they're here, or what happened in the book's world. It must be something, but..." she trailed off helplessly.     "So where's this book, then?" Shannon returned to the blankets, running her fingers ruthlessly through her short-cropped hair, flicking ebony strands from her eyes. "Let me guess; that's what you were calling your brother for?"     "Hai. It's not at the library, and the scroll we were given during the Tenkou episode disappeared, too."     "Nani?!" Yui jerked at the news, her eyes widening in dismay. "But... who has them?" she whispered, paling. The last time it had been stolen was when she'd nearly caused the non-existence of the first Genbu priestess.     "We don't know." Miaka closed her eyes as tears threatened once again. "We don't know anything, and none of them know anything, and no one's here to tell us anything... I just don't know. I have no idea what we're supposed to be doing!"     She turned her head and wept on Yui's shoulder, exhausted and overwhelmed. Crying was the easiest way to diffuse her stress, and she fell into it gladly. Shannon bit her lip.     "Look, I know I'm not exactly the most knowledgeable about all this, but... you've always been told what to do before, right?" she asked hesitantly. When Yui nodded, she gave a slight shrug. "Deductive reasoning says you'll be told again. Maybe we just need to wait. Perhaps the book and scroll were taken for a reason. I'm sure no one's going to _not_ tell you main characters what you're supposed to do, especially if that Taiitsukun-lady is on your side. Maybe we should just relax and wait for them instead of worrying ourselves over something we can't do anything about. If Keisuke can figure out where the book is, then we can start worrying... but until then, we can't do anything, can we?"     "Not exactly true..." Miaka mumbled, sniffing back the rest of her tears, feeling a little better by both the crying jag and her friend's words. "We've got the seishi. Maybe if we can get them to remember..."     "That's right!" Shannon brightened. "Well, then, we have a plan."     A watery laugh was her only answer—but, at least it was a laugh.   
  


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* -- Quoted from the anime. I plagiarized 'em, but hey, isn't plagiarizing legal in Japan? Or something? ;p   
  
_Translation Notes:_   
**Moshi moshi:** Hello (greeting used in answering phone)   
**Onii-chan:** Big brother  
**Shichi Seishi/Shichisei/Seishi:** Celestial Warriors / Seven Stars ... Suzaku Seven, Seiryuu Seven, etc. Basically the cute guys and girls who protect the priestess. (I think all the cute guys should have fangs... so sexy!)   
**Nani:** What (in this case, a shocked "WHAT?!?!" ;p)   
  
**CJ's Blurb:** Gomen nasai for the incredibly boring chapter. =/ It is, unfortunately, one of those scenes that has to be there. Shannon's gotta know! ;p Now, before anyone asks: the anime summary wasn't actually a summary of the anime—it was a highlight of points that Shan-chan would have to know, told by Miaka and Yui. A lot of things are missing for a reason; it's very emotional stuff, and it can't be told in one setting. So for those of you who noticed and want to lynch me for breezing over it all... please don't lynch me *cry* And for those of you who want to lynch me for the boring factor... um, please don't lynch me either? =( Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease? I swears I'll try to keep such boring informative chapters outta the future of this fic. *gets on her hands and knees and begs*   
  
**KittyLynne:** WOW, big review. *swoons* I'm so happy!! I feel loved! I loved writing chapter five, too. I thought it was nice to have a fluffy chapter before this one. YES IT WAS A BRIBE AND I ADMIT IT *grins*     *blushes* Thank you for the compliment! I'm glad you think that, because... well... Miaka's supposed to be Miaka. Hence the "fan" in "fanfiction" *blushes again and swoons into a puddle of CJ-goo 'cause she got complimented by the KL* And yes... Tasuki is a cat person! He is! He wubs Tama and now he'll wub Angel! Haha... it's fate, Tasu-chan, it's fate. Just get used to it, you poor thing. :D -also dances in joy 'cause she's gonna read F&F- Tasuki hasn't been mentioned in it yet, but no worries. He has a huge role. I just have to set up his entrance. ;) So don't be disappointed when you don't read about him yet *sniffle, sniffle*     *just melts into another puddle of goo over all the compliments, then snickers* Who? Shan, like Andy? *cough, cough... glances up at a revealing sentence in this chapter, then coughs again* No idea where you get that idea either... you are such an imaginative woman. *shakes finger!*     *runs from the KL-in-withdrawal and screams* x.x *then nods happily* Quizno's is gooooooooood. If you didn't realize, the mesquite chicken w/bacon is my favorite sub. *swoons* It's so goooooooooooooood... all ranchy and cheesey and gooey and chickeny and... mm-hmm... yes, very good stuff. :D 


	7. Triple Date

    Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi~~   
  
**Chapter Seven: Triple Date**   
  
    The knock sounded impatiently on the front door, stirring one of the three girls slowly awake. They were still snuggled into the blankets, carelessly strewn over the floor. Two large mugs were safely out of harm's way on the kitchen counter; the third was half-hidden around the corner of their futon-turned-couch, on its side. Luckily, it was empty.     When another rapid succession of thuds came to her unhappy ears, she stirred. Russet hair slipped loose from its confining braid, brushing gently against her cheek. Thinking it a butterfly, she waved her hand over her head. "G'off," she mumbled.     _THUD._     It reverberated through the room. Someone was not in a good mood. "Shangetdoor," she groaned, burying her head under the corner of a fluffy blanket. The ebony-haired American didn't seem to hear, still sleeping deeply. "Yuuuuuuuuuuu-iiiiii," she yelped suddenly, as a foot caught her in her stomach. She sat up, scowling down at her makeshift-bed companions, and running a hand absently through her hair. She bit back another yelp as her fingers encountered her braid. "Ugh. I'm _coming_!" she shouted at the next knock, wondering who was being so irritating first thing in the morning.     The blonde stirred slightly at her friend's shout, cloudy blue eyes blinking slowly open. "Mia...?" she lifted a hand to her eyes, shading them from the so-bright morning sun. "What's it?"     "Someone at the door," her best friend muttered, storming to it angrily. It didn't quite have the same effect when she was barefoot, but it helped her temper. She jerked open the door with a snarled, "_Yes?!_" Her eyes widened at the sight of the man sprawled next to the door, his head resting on the wall. His hand was raised, knuckles ready to smack against it again.     Slowly, he turned his head, amber eyes for once unhidden by shades. "Yo," he greeted after a long pause, giving her a brief once-over. Nothing in his face showed his appreciation of her slight figure clothed in a skimpy pajama top and silky, loose-legged bottoms in an eat-your-heart-out, tart red. Her comments about his car to the contrary, she seemed to like the color.     "Tasuki? What on earth are you doing here at..." she checked her watch, "six in the morning?"     "She can't sleep," he explained. His expression reminded her of a helpless kid.     "Who?" _She? Who's she? I guess he went on a date last night... Why don't I like that? I need to stop waking up this early in the morning... my brain gets fried._     She blinked as he unzipped his jacket—_Good leather,_ her mind approved—to allow a furry black head to peek out. A brief flash of pink showed as the kitten yawned. "Her," he replied simply.     "Oh, Tasu-chan," she sighed, letting her legs fail her and falling to the floor in a heap. She didn't realize the endearment she'd just used, her attention caught on poor Angel. "Why can't she sleep?"     Miaka was also oblivious to the brief flare of hope and satisfaction in his eyes. His tone was even as he said, "She kept whimpering when I put her on her bed in the living room."     Her eyes half-closed in exasperation. "Didn't you think she was lonely?"     "Yeah. That's why I let her sleep with me, but she still wouldn't sleep." He yawned, apologized. "Think she misses you," he half-mumbled, sliding to the side, his shoulder colliding with hers.     Miaka turned her head into the crook of his neck, snuggling close and biting back her own yawn. Angel began to purr, climbing out of her place in Tasuki's jacket to curl up on his thigh, one paw delicately placed on her knee. Obediently, she shifted closer, letting her thigh run parallel to his.     She smiled as the kitten immediately shifted over to lay half on her leg and half on his. "Cute." This time she couldn't fight a yawn. "Tired," she mumbled, closing her eyes and snuggling closer to her seishi. His arm came around her shoulders, a warm hand clasping her bare upper arm. "Cold," she agreed.     "MIAKA SUKUNAMI, CLOSE THE DAMN DOOR!"     Shannon's yell made her jump, bumping her head painfully against Tasuki's. "Owww," she whimpered, turning to look over her shoulder as she rubbed the top of her head. "Aren't you supposed to be _sleeping_?" she asked sourly, to no answer. It had been a stupid question anyway. Angel perked up at this new voice, climbing down from her perch to pad curiously into the doorway.     Deciding standing meant far too much work, Miaka crawled on her hands and knees. Tasuki followed her—walking, of course. _He always had too much damn energy,_ she thought peevishly, finally collapsing against the now-cold blankets. "Goin'sleep," she sighed. Funny, she thought he heard Hotohori laugh. Maybe she was more tired than she thought. He wasn't here.   
  


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    "Ohmigod," the dark-haired girl was muttering, covering up her two friends with one blanket and herself with another. She cast Tasuki a baleful look as she stalked into her room. "Make some coffee, will you?" she tossed over her shoulder, pointedly ignoring the two new presences in the doorway.     It seemed none of the women were morning people. Checking to make sure Angel was sleeping and wouldn't be moving from her spot, he sauntered into the kitchen, glancing at Andy and... what was his name? Chichiri? "Better close the door," he advised with a smile. "I don't think they like letting cold air in."     "Of course." The blue-haired man closed it behind them, gifting the sleeping women with an odd glance. He felt the urge to growl—he better not be looking at his Miaka. His smile turned from cordial to something akin to baring his teeth.     "So, what are you two doin' here?" he asked, poking through the cabinets. The former singer was the one to answer, after carelessly sprawling on the couch.     "We thought it would be a good idea to get together. Since Shannon gave Chichiri the apartment address."     "Huh." He grunted as he found a canister of Maxwell's. "This early in the morning?"     "We wanted to wring a promise out of 'em before they ran in their different directions," came the serene reply. "Easier that way, you know."     "Right." He fiddled with the coffeemaker, wondering what was what. His certainly wasn't so... complicated. Or big. "Don't talk so loud, you'll wake the girls."     "Already woken," came a sleepy mumble. The blonde sat up slowly, careful to keep the blanket over her. She blinked her sleepy blue eyes as though to ascertain the reality of the moment. "Oh, my..."     Leaving the odd contraption for the moment, he peered into the living room, almost smirking at her wide-eyed, pale countenance. He could almost hear the thoughts running through her head--_Three men in the house this early in the morning... what the hell were we doing last night?_     "Listen," she began nervously, "Whatever happened last night, it was—"     "None of their business." The American flounced out of her room, fully dressed and rather perky looking. Very energetic. Tasuki envied her—that damned cat had kept him up all night. "I don't know what you guys are doing, coming over here at such an ungodly hour of the morning—but you need to get out." She pointed dramatically to the door, careful to keep her voice low. Miaka hated to be woken up.     "We'll leave in a second," Andy replied generously, only to be on the receiving end of her smoking glare. "We just wanted to know if you all would come to the Pre-Christmas party tonight."     "The what?" Tasuki asked, frowning. The hell was a Pre-Christmas party?     "It's a party that uses the excuse of the holidays coming up to be thrown, you know. We thought it might be fun." Chichiri stood, obviously ready to leave, since their welcome had been yanked out from beneath them.     _He always so polite?_ the flame-haired man thought sourly. That couldn't be healthy, letting people have their way. He certainly wasn't leaving because the oh-so-bouncy Shannon wanted him to go.     "'Sgood idea," came a half-hearted mumble from the blankets. He grinned as Miaka waved a hand vaguely in the air, obviously intent on sleeping, but wanting to chip in. "Pick up later, sleep now..." she snuggled into the blankets, endearingly determined. Shannon snapped her mouth shut, frowning at Andy.     Interesting. She didn't seem so hostile to the other man...     He'd have to go just to see the sparks fly in their company. And it was always a good thing to watch his woman, and make sure the too-pretty singer kept his hands off...   
  


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**CJ's Blurb:** Sorry for the length between updates and the super short chapter. ^.^;; I promise I'll try to make the next one a little longer...! The problem is that I have too many ideas of where to go right now, and I need to pick and choose out of all of them. ^_^   
  
**HoshiHikari4ever**: Something like that. ^_^ 


	8. PreChristmas

    Disclaimer: Don't own Fushigi Yuugi, or I'd be married to Tasuki about now.   
  
**Chapter Eight: Pre-Christmas**   
  
    Miaka wriggled in protest as the blanket was slowly pulled off her. She opened one eye to glare sourly at her best friend, mightily annoyed and not even trying to hide it. Yui shrugged.     "You need to wake up sometime," she reasoned sweetly. The glare turned from low heat to full-blown furnace.     "Not movin'," the redhead grunted, trying to grab the blanket before it was jerked away. She was too slow.     "Get up." The merciless blonde returned to the kitchen, where running water sounded. Miaka pouted at her retreating back as she grabbed the blanket. Like she was going to stay awake when she was this tired!     Plan now in mind, she crawled over to the man lazily sprawled on the sofa. She planted her hands on his knees and pushed herself up to snuggle into his lap, happily pulling the blanket around them both. He froze and looked down at her with a mixture of amusement and something else she wouldn't want to put a name to—not in her current 'Tasuki-is-my-best-friend' state of mind.     "There," she grinned, impishly gleeful.     "YUUKI MIAKA!" came the frustrated yell. "Get off his lap and get dressed!"     "Nah, that's all right," her new bed called out calmly. "If she's sleepy, may as well let her sleep now 'steada havin' her sleep in the middle of the party tonight."     An impassive face appeared over the divider, arching a brow at the lazy chit in his lap. Her bone structure was well suited to indifference or cool elegance; the haughty tilt of her chin and lifted brow would have had her childhood companion hiding under the covers. That was probably why she was hiding her face in the crook of the man's neck, instead. "Drop her if you need to go to the bathroom," Yui finally stated, her tone brooking no argument. Tasuki bit back a grin and nodded.     "Sure," he agreed laconically, wrapping his arms around the girl stifling giggles, curled up like a child. His eyes were caught by a flash of orange, and he looked down in surprise. Despite the cherry red pajamas, her auburn hair, and olive skin, she had painted her toes a bright, cheerful tangerine.     Those cute little toes wriggled as though she sensed his gaze, and she curled her feet out of his view. He bit back a laugh and asked—with just a touch of inquiry—"What's with the polish?"     "Mmmf," was her answer. She nuzzled firmly against his shoulder, as though to say 'stop talking, go to sleep'. He kissed the top of her head, pulling her close, perfectly willing to enjoy her proximity as long as he was able to keep it.     Even the mouth-watering aroma of freshly brewed coffee wasn't going to budge him from the sofa. Not as long as his woman had her arms wrapped around his neck, her breath coming in regular intervals against his skin. She was already asleep.     Yui padded into the room once again, handing him a mug of coffee, then turning her attention to the second man on the couch. Flipping through a magazine, he hadn't shown the slightest curiosity over the events that had occurred. Tasuki was faintly surprised that Shannon had dragged Andy out the door with her, despite his protests (though they had seemed half-hearted at best), yet had allowed the blue-haired one stay. Indeed, she'd fairly pushed him back to the couch before storming out the door, ex-singer in tow. _Definitely curious behaviour,_ he thought. _Makes no sense at all._     "Sugar or cream, for either of you?"     Tasuki shook his head. "Nah, black is fine." He gulped some down and bit back inventive curses as the liquid scalded his tongue. Damn. He stuck his tongue out into the cool air, crossing his eyes to see if he could inspect the damage that way. No luck.     "Chichiri?" she prompted.     "Two cubes of sugar, if you would," he requested, looking at his sofa companion oddly. He seemed to be somewhat resigned, if greatly amused. "You knew it was just made," he pointed out.     "Yeah, yeah, I know." Growling a little, he set the heavy mug to the side. Perhaps he'd just wait for it to cool down a little.     Miaka shifted in his lap, and his mind went from how his tongue felt to what his tongue wanted to be doing. _Damn it, Tas, it ain't right to be thinking that while she's sleeping on you. In an innocent way._ He touched his tongue to the roof of his mouth, wincing at the rough feeling. _Besides, you won't be doing that for a little bit yet._ "What are ya lookin' at?" he groused as Chichiri continued to watch him with a slight half-smile.     "Nothing in particular," he lied, glancing toward Miaka. Then he smiled warmly at their hostess as he stirred the sugar into his coffee.     She smiled perfunctorily, collapsing into an over-stuffed, faded armchair. "We were up late last night talking," she motioned to her friend. "Maybe a little too late. Ah, well. Sorry for Shan-chan leaving so suddenly, but she has a final in..." a quick glance at her watch, "...ten minutes."     "Oh? Do you not, then?" Chichiri asked curiously. She shook her head.     "Nope. Miaka and I are done for the week, but we need to start hunting down a job. Bills don't pay themselves, and all that."     "Says la vie," Tasuki quipped.     "C'est la vie," Yui corrected with a quick laugh. "Guess you never took French?"     "Nah. Never had much need to." He shrugged. "I'm not a foreign language type of guy."     "Pity. Many teachers here are also hired at the Defense Language Institute, and so the foreign language courses are quite good," the azure-haired man pointed out quietly. Yui blinked in surprise.     "Are they really? I never knew. I know the DLI is near, but it didn't occur to me that the professors there would be teaching at the colleges, too. I guess it makes sense, though."     "The thought of some shaved-head GI teachin' me the basics of French would have me runnin' in terror," Tasuki replied dryly. Chichiri chuckled.     You are certainly one to jump to conclusions. The professors are not military personnel. They are civilians."     "Jump to conclusions!" he exclaimed. "I'll have you now that I—" a slender finger pressed against his lips, stopping his tirade. He frowned down at Miaka, who obviously didn't like people talking too loud while she slept. The frown softened, and he kissed the pad of her index finger gently before looping her arm around his neck.     The action didn't go unnoticed by the other two, though the sleeping beauty simply snuggled closer, oblivious.   
  


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    "This isn't a party, it's a damned circus," Tasuki muttered into her ear. She giggled, rolling her eyes at him playfully.     "You're just sore because that gorgeous man greeted you with a kiss," she pointed out easily, leaning against a convenient counter. She smiled brightly at those who passed by, all the while trying to soothe her date's temper.     "I happen to prefer tongue from the opposite sex," he said with great dignity, the effect only slightly marred by his need to raise his voice to be heard over the blaring music. Miaka laughed at him, shaking her head.     "Well, there have been no less than three—yes, three—propositions from women here, you know," she finally gave in kindly. "And you turned all of them down. No wonder you're not getting any 'tongue', as you quaintly put it, from anyone."     "That's because I have a date, and I don't take my dates lightly." He rolled his eyes at her lighthearted laughter and took a deep pull from the beer in his hand. When he nearly choked because of someone pounding his back, she burst into joyous laughter once again.     "Chichiri, be careful," she cautioned, giggling.     "Too late for that," Tasuki muttered. His words only served to nudge Miaka into another fit of giggles.     "Sorry about that, you know?" Chichiri chirped brightly, his eyes twinkling with almost malicious amusement. Since this morning, the two men had become as close as they had been in the Universe of the Four Gods, something that warmed their priestess's heart. Once again, the monk balanced Tasuki's fiery personality.     "Hah," came the reply, along with other rude adjectives. Yui's bright voice slid into the conversation easily as she sauntered along, winking at Miaka.     "Now, now, boys, play nice," she cautioned, dumping a surprise passenger onto the ex-bandit's shoulder. Angel mewed and immediately began to bat at his hair, already her favorite toy.     "Don't see why ya had to bring that animal," he grunted, turning his head sharply to scowl down at the kitten.     "She was lonely!" Miaka grinned at Yui's words, offering her a sip from her water glass. "Besides, Mia here would probably have thrown a fit if you ditched the cat on your second day of having her."     "Hah," he repeated sourly.     Chichiri grinned. "Ah, Tasuki, you know you want to be her personal walking litterbox!"     "_Litterbox?!_" As he looked over his shirt in panic, the other three laughed at his expense. He scowled at them all, lingering somewhat on Miaka. "Hey, isn't my date supposed to be on my side? I can see Yui siding with Lord Humorous here, but..."     "Hey, who are you calling names?" the monk protested     "...I'd think you'd at least be loyal to the man who drove you here." He flashed his fangs in a quick grimace. "I can't believe I've been overthrown by a blue-haired—"     "He has a cute butt, what can I say?" She shrugged with marked indifference, though her eyes sparkled merrily.     "And I don't?" Tasuki demanded in mock anger. The lazy gleam in his eyes caused his date to blush in confusion, and stare at the glass in Yui's hands.     "Ah, yes, well, about that—" she began nervously.     "Women aren't supposed to compliment their dates," her best friend rescued her. "_Men_ are supposed to do that. Don't you know anything?" She punched his shoulder playfully, before setting the now-empty cup on the counter. "Come on, Miaka, let's leave this un-complimenting men to their _own_ devices." She stuck her nose in the air in a great show of haughty pride as she dragged her friend into the mass of humanity people charitably called a party.     Both men watched their dates leave, one with frustrated amusement and the other with blank astonishment.     "I was supposed to compliment her?" Chichiri asked plaintively. "She could have _told_ me that, you know."     Tasuki eyed his new companion oddly. "You're a scary man, Chiri. Really scary."   
  
    "I think Shan-chan was over here somewhere, arguing with Andy. Did you notice that they haven't been apart for a single minute since they came in here?" Yui glanced at the redhead curiously. "I mean, for a good ten minutes he was hanging around you, which wasn't surprising, but she seemed to drag him off as soon as possible. If I didn't know any better..."     "She definitely likes him," Miaka butted in with a grin. "I'm so glad, too. I loved Hotohori as much as I was able, though it wasn't enough for him then... and it wouldn't be enough for him now. If we can just get those two together, though—!"     "She'd kill us if she knew what we were talking about, you know. The woman has so much stiff-backed pride it's scary. But she just can't keep away from the man, either." Yui's eyes widened as she pointed to the dance floor. Although a briskly paced song was playing, a raven head was resting comfortably against a broad chest... and long, honey-brown hair mingled with ebony tresses as the two danced to a tune only they could hear.     "Ohmigod," Miaka whispered, backing slowly away. It wouldn't do if they were seen. "Wasn't the last slow song like... fifteen minutes ago?"     "More like twenty," Yui replied in the same hushed tone. "I believe we have progress."     "Hmm, yes. Speaking of which..." The redhead glanced speculatively at her childhood friend as they snuck over to a table which—conveniently—had a perfect view of her seishi and his dance partner. "Did I see you and Chiri getting a little close on the dance floor?"     Unaccountably, Yui blushed, dropping a napkin she'd been toying with. Half amused and half mortified, she looked sternly at her friend. "Just because Shannon had to go and get attracted to one of your seishi, it doesn't mean I'm doing the same, Miaka," she lectured firmly. "If you _have_ to know, I was trying to ask him about his job, but since it was so loud, I had to shout in his ear."     "His job, huh?" Accepting the explanation reluctantly—the thought of her best friend and her confidante in a relationship was an endearing one—her friend glanced over her shoulder in an attempt to find the monk. Failing, she asked, "So... what does he do?"     "He's one of those child counselors. He works with Mitsukake in the hospital with the little ones." Yui smiled warmly. "They both must be wonderful with children, with their patient natures."     Tilting her head, the former priestess of Suzaku thought it over. "It's so easy to think of Chichiri as a counselor," she said finally, and laughed. "Really, that's part of what he did in the book, so..."     "Yeah, I know. I read about it, remember?" She smiled. "They are all almost exactly the same as they were when you left them, aren't they?"     "Yes." Shadows chased the light in her jade eyes, and the smile became a little fixed. "The only difference is that they are adapted to life here. It's like nothing changed. Isn't that odd, though? Even Taka had several differences between him and Tamahome, from living a different life. I wonder..."     "What?" the blonde prompted gently, reaching over the tabletop to rest her hand comfortingly on her friend's.     "I wonder... if the reason they have amnesia is because they didn't actually grow up here? Although some of them had jobs to pick up... I wonder if it's only because things were tampered with. They're too similar to the seishi I left in the book. But if they were sent here, why don't they have memories of me? And... why are they here?"     "Hey, Miaka! Yui!"     The cheerful voice had both women turning, smiles of welcome already gracing their lips. Nuriko bore down on them determinedly, her eyes laughing. "Why aren't you dancing?" she demanded. "Look—Hotohori and Chiriko are dancing. Even Mitsukake is dancing!"     Unable to hide her curiosity, Miaka peered over the dance floor. Her eyes widened at the sight of the studious man dancing to a well-known pop song with a woman whose hair was a hideously dyed green. Talk about holiday fever.     "Our dates ditched us," she explained absently. Nuriko snorted.     "You mean you ditched them so they could cat-sit, don't you? Besides, who dances with their dates at a party? Look at all those men salivating over you!" She pointed in the direction of said men imperiously. "Now come on—you're all going to have fun if I have to kill you to do it!"   
  


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**_IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_** — I would like to take the time to extend my thanks to **KittyLynne**. First for author's inspiration; the idea of a Yui/Chichiri pairing comes from HER and her story, 'The Promise'. (For Tas/Mia fans who haven't yet read it, YOU SHOULD. It's the best! Believe me, you will NOT regret taking the time to hunt it down. XD It's here on FF.net) Second, because she agreed to help me through any difficulties I may come up with. *swoons, star-struck* Arigatooooooooooooou KittyLynne!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ (She's my idol XD)   
  
**CJ's Blurb**: Whew, another update. This one should make up for the shortness of the last chapter (though this is pretty short too, really...) — Anyway, I tried to get this out to give me breathing room for a possible Christmas special. No guarantees on it coming out on Christmas Day, but it should be out by the end of the week. It's pure WAFF and funny-cuteness, so I hope you will enjoy. ^_^ Happy holidays everyone, and have a _beautiful_ Christmas. Don't forget to tell your family that you love them! 


	9. Suzaku Shichisei! PARTY!

    Disclaimer: Nope, no Fushigi Yuugi in my ownership's manual... okay, yeah, that was pretty lame.     **IMPORTANT – This is NOT exactly the same as the one-shot I posted, as a Christmas Special. There ARE slight differences, mainly dealing with the date this occurs. If you've read the one shot, I'm sorry for givin' you something you've already read a part of. (SS:ACS portion begins later in the chapter...)**   
  
**Chapter Nine: Suzaku Shichisei! PARTY!**   
  
    She fought a yawn as she danced with a perfectly nice, perfectly groomed, perfectly drunk accountant. And accountants who were drunk were perfectly boring.     "So I was sitting there, trying to work out all these tax deductibles, and three more clients came in—"     Boring. Boring. Boring. And it was all Nuriko's fault, pushing her into his arms. She glanced around, hunting down that familiar head of purple. Where _was_ she?     So intent was she on finding her friend, that Miaka accepted a sudden change of partner with an absent smile. The accountant faded into the crowd as two hard arms pulled her close, and warm breath feathered over her ear. "I think I'm a li'l tipsy, Mia."     She gasped and turned her head, blinking into warm amber eyes. Her lips curved into an extremely amused smile at the sight of Angel firmly ensconced on his shoulder. She was surprised the kitten hadn't fallen off, though...     Her eyes narrowed as she moved closer, sniffing at the cat. "Why does she smell like beer?" she asked accusingly. Tasuki blinked and turned his head slowly to ponder the mystery. Then the lightbulb hit.     "Ohhhhh. She drank some, of course," he explained reasonably. As though it were a perfectly normal thing for a cat to drink alcohol.     She nearly choked, certainly stumbled, at the words. "Oops. Gotta be careful," he muttered, pulling her closer. Her hands were squished between their chests as she was nearly plastered against him.     _Who has to be careful... me, or him?_ she thought wryly, shaking her head slightly in amusement. Although she should probably yell at him for getting her poor baby drunk, she decided not to. After all, he probably wouldn't really remember it in the morning.     Sighing, content, she rested her head against his chest and wrapped her arms slowly around his waist. He dropped his chin to rest against her hair, loose and flowing. That's what he liked about her—she didn't put on a bunch of gunk to look pretty. She certainly didn't need it.     "Thanks for saving me from the accountant," she mumbled against his chest.     "No prob. Guy's too perfect for ya anyway. Probably plans every second o'sex, too." He snorted. "Spontan-eeity's better fer ya."     She rolled her eyes, but had to admit to his assessment of the man. He'd been wearing a suit and tie at a casual party, after all. And she thought she'd felt the outline of a toothbrush in his jacket, though she wasn't certain. He probably brushed and flossed after every meal. Maybe even every drink.     Now, Tasuki wouldn't do such things. He was wonderfully spontaneous. And _he_ wouldn't make sex a planned event. In fact, he would probably be the type of guy to pin her up against the counter while she was making dinner. Even if they'd made love for hours not twenty minutes before...     _Miaka! You're not supposed to think of him that way..._     A second voice in her head murmured thoughtfully, _Why_ am _I thinking of him this way? ... I loved Taka with heart and soul. I don't think I'll ever love anyone the same way again. I've never even looked at another man._     A third voice argued, _Taka's been dead for three years. He wouldn't begrudge you time spent with another man, or even you falling in love with someone else. And he knows and respects Tasuki, despite their differences._     The first came back with a vengeance. _STOP thinking like that, Sukunami Miaka! No more drinks for you!_     "Right," she sighed into his chest, snuggling closer. Nice, warm, hard chest. Wonderful embrace. Wonderful everything, really. She smiled. It would be okay to just grab this one dance, after all. They were best friends, and cared for each other. What was one dance?     Especially as she was only thinking those thoughts because she hadn't been with a man since Taka. She conveniently ignored the fact that she'd never wanted to before, either.     "Ouch." She blinked as he stepped on her toes.     "Sorry, Mia-chan," he apologized, loosening his hold slightly. She tightened hers.     "That's fine. Don't let me go, please," she requested. Yes, she would have this one dance.     He obediently returned her embrace, nuzzling against her hair. _Melons? Well, she likes food. Mmm, and she's warm. Don't make any moves, though. Don't scare her off. Gotta work on her li'l by li'l. She'll warm up to me soon enough... she's already starting to, and doesn't even know it yet._     They didn't notice as the slow, moving music switched to a fast techno pace. They were in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by couples who followed the tune. Lost in their own little world, they didn't see Yui and Chichiri, or Shannon and Hotohori, dancing slowly near them.     Nuriko, however, did. She smiled in very real amusement as the faintest idea came to her mind. Slipping through the crowd, she tapped on Shannon's shoulder. "Hey, girl, get outta your dream world for a minute!"     The American jerked, and pulled sharply from Andy's embrace, her cheeks red as she finally noticed the huge difference in songs. "Oh—hi, Nuriko," she muttered, trying to hide her embarrassment with a glare in her partner's direction. The man simply smiled at her, gently and warmly.     She flushed hotter and made a vague excuse of thirst before escaping her humiliation. Nuriko smiled in satisfaction as she grabbed her friend's arm and pulled him away from the strangers, and the two couples dancing close by. "Hey, look. I was planning on going over to Miaka's tonight, you know, so she could get to know me a little better. But I was thinking... I don't think I want to go alone. The three of them know each other and all, but none of them know me, and it might get a little... awkward. So I was wondering if you could get Tasuki and Chichiri to maybe come with you and we could make it into a little party of our own..." She let the words trail off. As Nuriko was often the first one to suggest attending or hosting a party, the idea didn't strike him strangely in the least.     "Good idea," he agreed amiably. Of course, the two beers he'd downed earlier might also be his reason for easily accepting it. "I'll go ask Shan—"     "Hmm, no, maybe I should do that," she interrupted quickly. If he asked her, there was a high chance of her saying 'no'—vociferously and at the top of her lungs. His eyes gleamed.     "Don't worry. She won't say no if it's a bet," he pointed out smoothly. Perhaps he wasn't as affected as she thought.     "A bet?" she echoed, feeling suddenly worried. Sometimes these bets could get out of hand...     "Yep. Whoever loses buys Christmas dinner. That way we'll all be together for Christmas." His brows rose wickedly. "You won't be the only girl at the party anymore!"     "Oh, stop that," Nuriko snapped, though she wasn't nearly as annoyed as she played out to be. It was a very good idea—though she wasn't so certain she could afford to feed everyone for Christmas.     Before she could voice her misgivings, he'd sauntered off.     And what kind of bet was it going to be, anyway? She felt suddenly nervous. Knowing him, it would be girls against guys. And he could come up with some of the oddest terms. As long as it wasn't dancing naked in this room, with all these strangers, though...     She grimaced, remembering a dare that had been made once, very similar to this one. She'd refused adamantly. It was surprising that someone as innately courteous as Hotohori could have such an odd quirk.     Shaking her head at herself, she glanced over at the two couples. They were still dancing obliviously, though that was about to be broken, considering Shannon rushing over to them with an angry glint in her eye. And her stride was too determined.     That man certainly moved fast. She grinned and made her entrance as the three girls began to talk fervently. Chichiri and Tasuki were being dragged to the side by Andy and Mitsukake.     "I think I prefer the all-night with pajamas," Miaka was saying quickly. "I'm definitely not playing strip poker or walking into a busy store with only lingerie. It's less embarrassing."     "I agree!" Yui said anxiously. "I just couldn't do the others... oh, Shannon, why did you have to put us in this position anyway?"     "It's all his fault!" the accused protested quickly. "Besides, if we win, they get to buy us Christmas dinner."     "I think I like the all-night/pajamas choice, too," Nuriko offered, stepping in to complete the semicircle. She smiled brightly at Shannon. "You can't leave me out of this!"     "Of course not," Miaka laughed, pulling on a long violet braid. "We'd never hear the end of it!"     "The only problem with the all-nighter is that our dates are buying the pajamas we're going to wear," Shannon pointed out with a sigh. "I guess you're right though. It's definitely the least embarrassing..."   
  


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    "Nuuuriiiiiiikooooooooooooooooooo," Miaka groaned. "I am not wearing this out there!"     "Oh, come on—it looks adorable. And it's in your favorite color, though I just don't see how a redhead should be able to pull it off. Though it is a little lame, wearing red during Christmas season." The purple-haired seishi tilted her head thoughtful as she looked said girl over. "Really, Mia-chan, have you been eating a little much? Is that just a bit of pudge—right there?" A slender finger reached out to poke her in the hip. For her efforts, she received a Death Glare.     "No."     Short, sweet, and to the point, Nuriko mused. "I know Tasuki would love to see you in it." Slyly.     "For the fifteenth time today, _we are not like that_!" Miaka yelled. "I don't get where you're getting these ideas, for crying out loud! Yui, stop laughing and tell her to go out and buy me something less... less..."     "I think the word you mean is more," the blonde giggled. "Certainly you don't want to wear less than what you are right now. Though I admit, the color is blinding—maybe a little bit less of that."     "The color is the only thing I _like_ about it!" her friend groused, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting.     "Oh please—Nuriko and I show more than you do," Shannon scoffed. "At least your legs are covered, though those hideous toes... what on Earth made you wear orange polish?" The raven-clad girl sauntered over, arching a brow inquiringly at her friend. Miaka bared her teeth.     "I like the color," she retorted with mock irritation. She took another glance in the mirror and sighed. "Why on Earth did we take that bet, Yui?"     "Because they were smart enough to make Andy Wong put it to Shannon," came the cheerful answer. Despite its complete validity—no, certainly because of it—she, too, received a Death Glare, though from a different person than Nuriko had. "Oh, come on, you know it's true. If Hotohori dares you to do anything, you snap it right up—"     "So that I can show him what an insignificant ass he is!" The dark-haired girl sniffed and tossed her hair, miffed. "Really, he has such a huge ego, and... and..." her fingers twitched.     "And he's in love with Miaka?" Yui slipped in quickly.     "That too—hey!" The American looked around, an embarrassed flush coloring her cheeks. "I mean..."     "Don't worry." The redhead smiled kindly, reaching out to hug her shoulders. "It's good that he's paying attention to you. I could never be for him what he wants me to be."     "I know." She sighed and lowered her head slightly, shoulders slumping. "And I'm never going to be what you are for him—not that it matters," she added hastily, suddenly straightening. Three pairs of knowing looks locked on her. "Really! It doesn't. I've only known him a couple days, for crying out loud!"     "Methinks she protesteth too much...eth." Miaka frowned. "Oh, shoot, I always mess up Old English."     "Methinks she doth protest too much," Yui grinned. Her best friend rolled her eyes.     "Sure, sure, one-up the redhead... You've got to be the only smart blonde in America, Hongo Yui!"     "Now, now. Chiriko is pretty intelligent too," Nuriko pointed out, plaiting her hair into its usual braid. "Too bad he isn't here tonight, or we could have fun playing Cranium."     "What's Cranium? Oh, wait, it's that one... uh, with the four categories with questions and stuff, right?" Shannon tilted her head slightly. "I used to play that in high school with my English teacher! It was fun, but it takes _hours_ to win."     "I'm at a disadvantage in America," Yui replied primly. All three women rolled their eyes this time.     "Sure."     "Right."     "Modesty doesn't become you, Hongo Yui!"     "Neither does it become you, Yuuki Miaka!" the blonde mocked. "So just wear it, will you?" She pointed to the crimson pajamas with a pointed look.     "You only feel safe saying that because _you_ are comfortably covered." She pouted. It wasn't fair that Yui had been bought pajamas with a button-up, overly-long-sleeved shirt in addition to the loose pants. And they were blue velvet—she would be warm. Miaka, on the other hand...     "Please," Nuriko sniffed. "You've shown more with regular clothes than you are with those."     That was true. Really, the outfit was quite similar to her favorite pair of red cotton pajamas... but these were silk, and just a tad skimpier. She looked down dubiously to poke her belly button. "I've never shown my stomach to public before," she half-whined, knowing that she _would_ wear this out there, whether she liked it or not. Tasuki had bought it for her, and rules were that they wore what their dates bought them.     Shannon, of course, had the worst end of the deal, being paired with Hotohori. And Mitsukake, it seemed, had been shopping with Andy, if Nuriko's outfit was any judge. They both were clad in lingerie that had to be taken straight off the Victoria's Secret cover, and only barely covered the essentials. How they managed to have the courage to walk out there, she would never know.     And how the men had been able to buy pajamas, in their exact sizes, at ten at night was a mystery as well.     Thinking about it, though... Nuriko was hardly shy, and none of the men were ones she had romantic interest in. Though sometimes she would glance at Andy in a certain way reminiscent of Nuriko from the book. Either way, she would saunter out there with courage and flair, as in everything else she did.     Shannon... Miaka's eyes narrowed as she studied the American. She would walk out there defiant. _That_ was it. The lingerie was nothing more than another dare, and she went through every dare without flinching. (In the space of seven days, there had been at least ten dares; she'd never expected the emperor to be capable of such a thing... but perhaps Shannon had that effect on him. Certainly he wasn't different with anyone else! Except maybe Nuriko, judging by her complete acceptance of the entire thing.)     _Me, on the other hand... I'm going to turn as red as my pajamas as soon as Tasuki looks at me. Sure, it's one thing to sleep on your best friend in them, but this? Oh Lord, I'm going to die of humiliation._ She shook her head slightly. "So we have to get through this entire night until noon tomorrow without sleeping, right? That's all the dare is?"     "Pretty simple, compared to the others," Yui noted thoughtfully. Shannon sighed.     "Not as simple as you'd think. He knows I had no sleep last night." Dark eyes hardened. "I'm still going to win, though. He gets sleepy after drinking."     "Hey! I thought I said there wasn't going to be _any_ alcohol tonight!" Miaka yelped. "I don't want this place smelling like cheap beer!"     "Don't worry, I'm sure he only bought the best," Nuriko smirked. She received her second Death Glare of the night and only blinked, completely unfazed.     "I'm going to kill them," her priestess growled.   
  


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    "Don' think thaz right," Miaka slurred, falling slowly to her side. She bumped up against Mitsukake's shoulder, apologized, straightened, and started falling to her other side. When she bumped up against Tasuki, he simply dragged her into his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and thanked him prettily.     "What isn't right?" Shannon queried, swirling her glass idly. She had to be the only sober person in the room, but—the ex-bandit's eyes narrowed slightly—there was some glaze in her eyes. Perhaps she wasn't as sober as she managed to seem.     "Strip poker... aren't y..y..yooooouuu," she concentrated on her words, "s'posed to strip before play?" She paused, and added slowly, "ing pow-ker." Then she hiccupped. Tasuki winced as the top of her head bumped against his chin.     "No, no, after playing poker..." The American's brow knitted.     "Like her idea," Andy piped up—unsurprisingly. Shannon glared at him.     "We're not playing strip poker." Yui managed to sound as cool and collected as usual, though she swayed slightly.     "I d—" Andy began, only to have a hand slapped over his mouth. Nuriko glared at him.     "_No more dares._" Her stern words were belied by the sudden giggle erupting from her. "Did 'nuff damage... wif dares."     Everyone had been forced to down two cans of beer because of Andy daring Shannon—who wouldn't do it alone. Now at least twenty cans were spilled all over the floor.     "Dares don' cause injuries," Mitsukake mumbled, taking her words a little too literally. He was sprawled against the couch, a can of beer resting on his belly. The picture of her quiet, strong, responsible healer in that position caused Miaka to fall off Tasuki's lap, laughing hysterically.     Nuriko crawled toward her and tripped as her knee caught on her hair. She swore half-heartedly and tried again, finally managing to rest her head on the redhead's leg. "Tired... sleepy," she mumbled.     "No sleep!" Yui said suddenly, panicked. "Can't sleep... lose bet." Her wide blue eyes blinked slowly. "Too bright," she mumbled suddenly, obviously having lost her train of thought. She brightened suddenly and stood slowly, tottering to the light switch. She flicked it off.     Being after midnight, the room was dark. The only illumination came from the four-foot fake tree in one corner of the room, multicolored lights radiant and in a state of constant change.     All eight people in the room fell to awed silence as they stared at the tree, a vision much more amazing in their drunken states. Chichiri was the first to speak, though he'd been silent most of the afternoon. "Hot'hori... she's on my other side," he mumbled.     The former pop star mumbled a garbled thanks, just moments before Shannon shrieked. "Ohmigodthattickles... who the hell is touching my thigh?" A pause, then a bewildered, "My arm's too heavy to move..."     A grunt, though Miaka couldn't tell who it came from. Then, "Sorry—was laying on it." She squinted, able to see shapes now that her eyes had adjusted. That deep voice was probably Mitsukake's.     She squeaked as someone's hand flailed against her, grabbing onto a very female portion of her anatomy. "Oops—Mia, s'rry," Nuriko muttered, though her grip tightened as she tried to sit up. Tears came to the redhead's eyes.     "Owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!" she half-shouted, smacking her friend's hand away. Then two more hands were moving over her back.     "Where's it hurt, honey? I'll help—"     When those hands began to move to her front, she slapped whoever it was behind her. The voice had been nearly unrecognizable, as soft and slurred as it was. But a growled, "Andy, get your hands off my friend," told her all she needed to know.     "HOTOHORI NO HENTAI!" she screamed, and bolted forward, tripping over Nuriko's still-prone form. She squeaked and closed her eyes tightly, waiting to feel the floor hit her nose any moment.     It didn't happen. She pried her eyes open slowly, realizing then that someone had lifted her up. And now she was being pulled into a nice, warm embrace... she snuggled close with a little purr. Very nice. Very warm. Sleepy...     Why was the world shaking?     Oh, of course. She was being rocked like a baby. Miaka nuzzled against a shoulder, wrapping her arms around the unknown person's waist. Very comfortable.     The squeaks going around the room didn't register through her happy haze.     "Ohmigod stop doin' what you're doin', Andy!"     "Ahh! Whose hand is that on my—Chiri? Why is your head here?"     "Fell—too tired to move. But I'm moving... umm. What are you doing?"     "I'm not doing—OW! Who pulled my hair?"     "Sorry Yui—ow, Andy, get your hands off my breasts or I will hurt you!"     "Oh, is that what these are... sorry, Sharon..."     "Shannon, damm—gah! Mitsukake?! Pervert!"     "Sorry—huh. What's this..."     "Mitsukake, you're a great date, but it doesn't mean I'm gonna fall into bed with you." Miaka stirred as Nuriko's voice, different from the others, woke her. She'd spoken smoothly, calmly, without the urgency/annoyance/fury of the others.     "Oops, sorry Riko."     "Umm... Andy? You can get off me now."     "Mmf."     "...Shan, can you get Chichiri off?"     Miaka blinked as the words finally registered. What the hell—she shifted and shook her head. Really, they could at least get their own rooms to do what they were doing. Just wrong to do it in public.     The lights suddenly blinked on, causing more than one groan of pain. Very slowly, she raised her head to look around the room.     There was an odd tangle on the floor just two feet away from her couch. It looked like Andy was sprawled on Shannon—sleeping? Definitely sleeping. His eyes were closed.     Then again, the American's were too. And her hands were very gently stroking his back.     And Chichiri was—good Lord.     "Wow, didn't know you were kinky, Chiri!"     Tasuki's cheerful voice boomed in her ear, and she winced slightly as she stared in fascination. Yui was sprawled on her stomach, and Chichiri was laying on top of her. That had to be what was called a 'compromising position', even if they DID have their clothes on.     "He's... heavy," Yui puffed.     Miaka looked around for the other two. Mitsukake was safely ensconced on the armchair, looking around with vague amusement. And Nuriko was—at that damned light switch. Evil woman.     "My eyes are throbbing," she grumbled. The purple-haired seishi snickered.     Oh, if they were all accounted for then—it was Tasuki's lap she was in. Very slowly, she raised her head to blink into cloudy eyes. "'Ello," she offered weakly.     "Just friends, eh, Mia?" Nuriko was... smirking?     "Huh?" Miaka responded cleverly.     "Well, let's see... one hand on your butt, other between—"     "TASUKI NO HENTAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"   
  
    "Well—we won."     Tasuki winced slightly as Miaka's voice aggravated his god-forsaken headache. "Umf."     "Feeling bad, are we?" she inquired with deadly sweetness. He pulled a pillow over his ear.     Laughing unkindly, she sat on the edge of her bed, watching the man occupying it with the faintest of smiles on her face. She was still drunk, the women having stayed up a little later than the men. "You owe me dinner," she pointed out gleefully. He threw out his arm, searching for another pillow to put over his ear. Giggling, Miaka collapsed on the bed behind him, snuggling up to his back warmly. "We're all gonna go to the China Star."     "Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmf." He turned onto his back with a sigh, wincing at the pain throbbing behind his right eye. Damn, who was it that had given him the first drink?     She rested her head on his shoulder and inched closer, yawning. "I'm tired," she admitted. His eyebrow twitched; it took too much energy to lift it entirely. "'M gonna sleep with you. Riko an' Shan an' Yui crowded th'other bed."     Why were they—oh. The other men had taken over Yui's bed. Tasuki had his own thanks to him being the last man to sleep. "Umm," he finally said.     "Sorry for hitting you. Know you didn't mean to put your hand there," she yawned. "Wasn't s'bad anyway." He grunted. "Sleepy... 'sit cold?"     She pulled away briefly to burrow under the covers, then threw her arm over his chest and snuggled closely once again. "Ni' Tasu-chan."     Carefully, he placed his arm around her, pulling her close. "Night, love," he whispered. Only her even breathing answered; she'd fallen asleep.   
  


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**CJ's Blurb**: Hewwo ^_^ The offer from the standalone stands here as well; the first person to guess correctly *who* says *what* during the 'lights-out' scene will be given a cameo! -grin- Anyway, I'm sorry for the long wait. This chapter is slightly longer to make up for it, even though most of it was already posted in the standalone. :p This chapter was a little hard to write because, well, I've already written it .;; but ah well. Hope you all enjoyed. Told you the Christmas special would be out by the end of the week. It's only 2:11am!   
  
**KittyLynne:** I was waiting for your review of the standalone to figure out if it would fit well enough in FW! Hehe, glad you thought it did though, because I REALLY wanted to put it in. It was the most fun chapter to actually write! ;) Anyway, YAY FOR REVIEW! I love getting your reviews. I hope you read chapter seven, too, since you didn't mention it in your review o.o;; not sure if you missed it or not. Anyway! I hope this chapter meets with your approval. *grins* Miaka's slowly coming out of her oblivious state, and Yui and Chichiri have a nice vague little moment in here! :P Of course Nuriko's the one to start all the trouble *rolls her eyes at everyone's favorite crossdressing seishi* Silly woman!     You're welcome for the shout-out and credit. You so deserve it. -nods firmly!- And thank you for noticing the typo *winces* I hate making typos. I normally realize when I do it, too. *sighs* Getting me worried about what other typos I've missed. I don't check over my own chapters. I just post after I write, because I miss everything when I look them over anyway. =P I hope your holiday has been wonderful! It sounds like it has, since you've been so busy. Or it could mean the opposite, but hey, I'm an optimist! -grins-     *much huggles for KL for letting her into Banditscribe, too!* ^_^ *bounces around her in kitten form, batting at her hair*   
  
Please read and review, everyone! ^_^ Tell me what you think.     -CJ 


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